Wearing masks outdoors serves no purpose, expert says

Days after hundreds of St Kilda beachgoers flouted Victoria’s mask rules, a public health expert says it’s time for the rule to go.

Daniel Andrews says he will need to be briefed by police on why Victoria’s mandatory mask rules were not enforced at beaches at the weekend.

Scores of beachgoers escaped any consequence after flouting Victoria’s mask rules at St Kilda and Half Moon Bay beaches.

Across the entire weekend, just five fines were issued for failing to wear a mask, with another 30 warnings. Asked whether it undermined the state’s strict rules, the Premier said he would need to be briefed on the decision not to uniformly enforce the rules.

“It’s not my practice to interfere in the work that Victoria Police do,” he said.

“They’ll make judgments, they’re often far better briefed on these matters and the circumstances and the dynamics applied than any of us are.”

Police could do little to maintain social distancing measures. Picture: Wayne Taylor

Many at St Kilda beach flouted mask rules. Picture: Wayne Taylor

But Mr Andrews said the move was not a green light for other Victorians to ignore the rules.

“I don’t think anyone should go out and expect that they can just flout the rules,” he said. “Masks won’t be here forever, certainly won’t be here forever outdoors, especially if you can reasonably expect to be a distance away from people. They are playing a very important part.”

That view has been challenged by University of Melbourne associate professor and public health expert Nathan Grills, who said masks were no longer serving any useful purpose.

“Masking was an excellent intervention and has played a role in getting to where we are,” he said.

Premier Daniel Andrews says masks will be around for awhile longer.

“While there is little evidence that outdoors masks are effective at cutting transmission, they were still a good bet with large numbers of infections in August.

“But in the context of virtually no community transmission — and with people out and about much more — masks are not only unnecessary but quite difficult to adhere to.”

Victoria Police is still investigating the gathering in St Kilda, and expects to issue fines for those breaching council bylaws at Half Moon Bay.

“Police were generally pleased with the conduct of the vast majority of people who flocked to Melbourne’s popular beaches and parks in the south east over the weekend,” police said.

RELATED:

WHY WE NEED TO BE SMARTER ABOUT WEARING MASKS

HOW VICTORIA’S MASK RULES COULD BE RELAXED

[e-mail]