Queenslanders happy to ditch masks after mandate ends
After 135 days of South East Queenslanders being forced to carry and wear a mask to ward off the coronavirus, the freedom to breathe easy was smile high.
It was hard to mask the glee. After 135 days of South East Queenslanders being forced to carry and wear a mask to ward off the coronavirus, the freedom to breathe easy was smile high.
Mask-wearing mandates were lifted yesterday as the state hit the 80 per cent first dose vaccination milestone. It was the first in a series of big moves to ease restrictions in the coming months, with domestic borders to reopen by December 17 and international travel to resume in the new year.
Lily Rose Davies, 22, said it was great to be able to look at a person and see their facial expressions once more.
“It’s incredibly exciting, it feels like we are starting to get back to normal,” Ms Davies said.
“It’s nice to see some smiling faces as you walk past, in saying that though I feel a bit naked walking around without a mask so I’m still carrying one with me.”
Ms Davies said she hoped more restrictions would soon as more people get vaccinated.
“In the office we’ve all ditched them [the masks] today which has been nice”.
Another city worker, Zaki Bahora was grateful for the lifting, saying it was a lot easier to teach work colleagues in the office without masks.
“It’s good to now be able to freely talk, but I’ll still wear my mask on public transport so I will still carry it in my pocket,” Ms Bahora said.
“I would prefer it if more people could go and get vaccinated.”
Other city goers said they didn’t know the mask mandate was over until they were in the food court and noticed no one was wearing masks.
While some said the mask mandate made their skin break out and were just happy they could leave their mask at home and let their skin breathe.
