Uber enforces face mask rule for passengers and drivers

Victoria has made face coverings mandatory and NSW has urged people to wear masks in some situations. Now Uber has also upgraded its rules.

Uber is now insisting passengers in New South Wales wear face masks as fears of a destructive second wave in the state escalates.

As part of Victoria’s strict stage 4 lockdown, protective face coverings are mandatory to help decrease the risk of coronavirus spreading throughout the community.

But confusion over wearing masks elsewhere has continued, particularly in Sydney where a number of hot spots have emerged and experts warn of community transmission.

“Face masks and Uber,” the popular ride share app wrote to customers in a push notification on Thursday evening.

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“Uber now recommends wearing a face cover in NSW when riding or driving with the Uber app.”

Uber has changed its policy for face masks in NSW.

On Sunday, hours before Victoria introduced the harshest lockdown restrictions imposed in any jurisdiction in the world, NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian updated her stance on face masks.

She now advises to wear masks in known hot spots as well as closed public areas including shopping centres and churches.

“I want to stress it’s not compulsory but it’s a strong recommendation from health,” Ms Berejiklian told reporters. “I can’t stress enough that the next few weeks will make or break us.”

The pandemic has completely changed cleaning and safety protocols. Picture: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images/AFP

The premier’s comments weren’t enough for NSW opposition leader MP Jodi McKay who said the governments reluctance to commit to a mandatory policy has created ambiguity.

“Make face masks mandatory on public transport,” she tweeted.

“It’s good the premier is finally inching closer, led by Labor, businesses and the community, but her position is still confusing.

“By the time she gets there, we don’t want a second wave to have washed over us.”

Gladys Berejiklian updated her position on face masks this week. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Joel Carrett

University of Melbourne epidemiologist Professor Tony Blakely said face masks may be the least of the worry for the state government, warning NSW is dangerously close to a second wave as aggressive as Victoria’s.

“I’m really concerned about NSW,” he said, speaking on Channel 10’s The Project on Sunday night.

The virus expert says contract tracing has been proactive in the state but the various outbreaks across Sydney reveal community transmission is occurring

“I’m very concerned NSW is going to tip over into something like what Victoria was four or six weeks ago,” Prof Blakely said.

“If I was the Chief Health Officer in NSW, I might become unpopular for saying this, I would be doing mandatory face masking but I’d put Sydney into stage three lockdown now before things get worse because you don’t want to end up where Victoria is.”