Indoor mask rule returns as Victoria records 2005 new Covid cases, 10 deaths

Indoor mask rules are back but “disappointed” business groups say the move will cause a major setback to Victoria’s recovery.

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Mask rules have returned just days before Christmas, after Victoria recorded a spike in Covid cases overnight.

From 11.59pm Thursday, masks will return at indoor settings — excluding private homes — for people aged over eight.

Face coverings will also be required at all major events over 30,000 people.

Masks will be required when moving around large major events, but not when patrons are seated outdoors, meaning cricket fans will need to don a mask while walking around the MCG at the Boxing Day Test.

People are strongly encouraged to stick to seated service while inside hospitality venues, while Victorians working over the festive period are also urged to work from home.

Acting Premier James Merlino revealed details on Thursday morning, saying it was a “commonsense” move.

“This is a sensible response which will allow businesses to stay open, bars and restaurants to continue to stay open and major events to go ahead,” he said.

“Masks are a cheap and effective way to maintain the health of the community and it’s something public health experts have been calling for.”

Mr Merlino said Victoria’s high vaccination rate meant that lockdowns had not been considered.

“We’re able to keep our state open because more than 90 per cent of Victorians got vaccinated, in record time,” he said.

“We’re not going back to lockdowns, we’re vaccinating our way through.

“These are modest but meaningful steps we can take over summer to ensure we stay open and see the people we love this Christmas.

“Masks and boosters mean less Covid exposure, fewer workers in isolation and more businesses open and disruption free.”

Masks will need to be worn in all public indoor settings. Picture: Ian Currie

Chief health officer Brett Sutton pointed to NSW, where cases have skyrocketed, saying there was still “a lot of uncertainty” about the concerning Omicron variant.

“There is some suggestion it is good news that (Omicron) might be less virulent, maybe a fifth as virulent as the Delta variant, but the numbers are big with Omicron,” he said.

“NSW has 15 times the number they had just a couple of weeks ago … one-fifth as severe but 15 times as many cases is going to be a challenge to a health system so we need to do everything we can, (vaccine) boosters being at the backbone of that.

“But we need to be aware that a significant case numbers still represent a risk to us, so we need to do everything we can to work on that.”

Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief Paul Guerra said he was disappointed by the increased mask mandate.

“The Victorian Chamber would have preferred mask wearing to remain an individual choice and would like to see the requirement removed before office workers return early in the New Year,” he said.

Victorians have been urged to take their Christmas celebrations outside. Picture: Diego Fedele

“However, we recognise that the mask-wearing requirement will still enable every business to open without density limits which is crucial as our economy roars back.

“Victoria is well placed as one of the most vaccinated precincts in the world and we should now focus on turbocharging our booster program and preparing our hospital system so we can learn to live with Covid-19 without ongoing restrictions.”

Victorian executive director of the Property Council of Australia, Danni Hunter, said the mask mandate would “no doubt” set the state’s recovery back.

“Melbourne’s green shoots of recovery are only just starting to emerge. Sadly the re-enforced mask mandate will no doubt set us back,” she told the Herald Sun.

Ms Hunter added that the work from home order needed to be limited, as city workers were vital to the CBD’s recovery from the pandemic.

“We’re disappointed with the move to encourage people to work from home – this sets us back immensely on the road to recovery and it’s not, in our view, necessary during the holiday period,” she said.

“We urge the government to consider this a short, sharp response with a clear expiry date in early January to allow as many Victorians to return to the office, without masks, as soon as possible.”

Covid case numbers spiked in Victoria after 2005 new cases and 10 deaths were announced on Thursday.

There are now 398 infected Victorians in hospital with 72 active in intensive care and 39 on a ventilator.

A total of 85,112 tests were recorded and 17,443 vaccines administered at state hubs.

It comes after Premier Daniel Andrews, who has typically favoured conservative restrictions, briefly returned from holiday to attend a national cabinet meeting on Wednesday.

Acting Premier James Merlino receiving his booster shot at the Royal Exhibition Building on Thursday. Picture: David Crosling

BOOSTERS ROLLOUT RAMPED UP

The state government will put $31.6m towards the vaccination rollout in a bid to deliver up to 900,000 booster shots every week.

The “massive scale-up” will see the state’s vaccination centres scaled up, as well as a recruitment and training boost of new workers.

Temporary jab sites will be set up at prominent shopping centre locations including at Watergardens, Emporium, Highpoint and Eastland.

Over the coming weeks, 28 vaccination pop-ups will open and current fixed sites will expand to operate 12 hours a day, seven days a week.

The flagship centre at the Royal Exhibition Building will stay open until late March.

A re-run of a successful grants program for GPs and pharmacies will help them deliver vaccinations across the 23 local government areas where there is lower primary care coverage, with expressions of interest for the grants of up to $15,000 opening today.

Chief health officer Professor Brett Sutton said there was still uncertainty around the Omicron variant.

NSW COVID-19 CASES LEAP TO 5715

NSW reported 5715 new Covid-19 cases and one new death on Thursday — a spike of nearly 2000 infections from the previous day.

There are now 347 people in hospital with the virus, with 45 of those in intensive care.

Two major changes to the NSW government’s pandemic response were flagged earlier on Thursday.

Rapid antigen tests will be free and mailed directly to NSW residents’ homes while QR code check-ins in all hospitality and retail settings are set to return.

Pressure is mounting on Premier Dominic Perrottet to stop the spread of the virus.

Long queues outside the Melbourne Town Hall Covid-19 testing centre on Wednesday. Picture: Diego Fedele

NEW OMICRON DATA REVEALED

New data about the severity of Omicron has shown it is less likely to see people hospitalised than the Delta variant.

Separate studies from the UK and South Africa have raised hopes the world is not going to be plunged into a similar situation as when Covid-19 first emerged in early 2020 and when vaccines were not available.

The British study from London’s Imperial College shows Omicon cases are 15 per cent less likely to attend hospital, and 40 per cent less likely to be hospitalised for a night or more, compared to Delta.

Read the full story here.

CALL TO SCRAP DOMESTIC TRAVEL TESTS

The federal and Victorian governments have joined forces to lobby Queensland, South ­Australia and Tasmania to abandon strict testing requirements for travellers, which are causing massive queues at ­Victorian clinics.

Speaking after Wednesday’s national cabinet meeting, Scott Morrison said there was strong health advice that Australians crossing state borders did not need to be tested.

About a quarter of people lining up for tests in Victoria – in some cases for up to five hours – are doing so to meet interstate entry requirements.

But the Prime Minister said only about one in every 1000 travellers was testing positive to Covid, compared to 20 out of every 1000 close contacts.

Read the full story here.