Masks off in shops, offices as NSW Covid restrictions ease

New, more relaxed Covid mask rules apply in NSW from Friday. Find out when you are, and are not, required to wear a mask now.

NSW residents can breath more freely today as a major Covid restriction are eased.

Masks are officially off around the state, with facial coverings no longer needed in shops, offices and other indoor places from Friday.

Shoppers and staff will now be able to enter venues freely after compulsory QR check-ins at retail and hospitality venues were scrapped last Friday.

QR check-in codes and wearing a face mask are now a thing of the past in most in retail and office settings. Picture: Getty

However masks are still required in high risk locations including public transport, planes, and indoors in airports, hospitals, aged disability care facilities, correctional facilities and indoor music festivals with more than 1000 people

Today marks the largest easing in restrictions since December 15, when Premier Dominic Perrottet removed mask and QR code check-in requirements only to reinstate them a week later as the Omicron outbreak emerged in NSW.

The Premier announced on February 16 that masks and QR codes would be scrapped for good, and said taking off facial coverings would encourage people back into the Sydney CBD.

Shoppers have had to wear masks in stores since the Covid rules were reintroduced in December. Picture: Flavio Brancaleone

“Masks will continue to be encouraged in indoor settings where people cannot maintain a safe distance from others, and as well as that, in customer facing retail,” the Premier said at the time.

“We will see a significant return back to the CBD and that will be positive.”

Masks will come off in schools and early childcare centres from Monday, February 28, teachers can take off their masks from March 7.

Cohort measures keeping year groups from socialising together are also being scrapped.

School students will no longer have to wear masks from Monday. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled

University of Melbourne epidemiologist Professor Tony Blakely backed the removal of restrictions as winter approaches.

“It seems likely that there will be a winter wave. To reduce the size of that winter wave, you can make a case for easing off restrictions now so that more fit and healthy people are infected before winter, to reduce the size of the winter wave,“ Prof Blakely said.

“If we do this, and let Omicron wash through now, we still protect the elderly and the vulnerable as much as possible, letting Omicron wash through the younger and healthier population.”

It comes as NSW recorded 8,271 new cases yesterday and 12 deaths, while 1,211 people remain in hospital including 59 in ICU.