ACT announces mask mandate to begin at 11.59pm for Christmas and New Year’s

A mask mandate has been introduced just days before Christmas by ACT health authorities concerned about soaring cases in neighbouring NSW.

The ACT is reintroducing an indoor mask mandate for Christmas and New Year’s amid increasing concerns about the situation in NSW.

In a statement, the health department said that residents would be required to wear a mask in all indoor settings, including retail stores, work and public transport in Canberra from 11.59pm on Tuesday.

New restrictions will also be introduced for aged care facilities, with residents only allowed to have five visitors a day, although this limit will be scrapped for end-of-life cases.

Acting Chief Minister Yvette Berry said with the Omicron variant taking hold just over the border in NSW, wearing a mask indoors could reduce risk of further spread.

Canberra recorded 16 new cases on Tuesday and has just 124 active cases in total, whereas NSW recorded new 3057 infections in the 24-hour period.

Masks will be mandatory indoors from 11.59pm. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

“In the past week we have seen a significant increase in case numbers in the ACT, and around half of our active cases have been confirmed as the Omicron variant,” Ms Berry said.

“Wearing a mask indoors is a small price to pay to keep your family and friends safe.

“In addition to wearing a mask indoors, we have responsibility to continue our Covid-safe behaviours, practise physical distancing and good hygiene.”

Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith said that the ACT would continue to take a “measured response” to Omicron.

“While we have world-leading vaccination rates here in the ACT it is important that we continue to strive for the right balance in our public health and social measures to keep our community safe,” she said.

“Reinstating mandatory mask wearing indoors is a sensible step to mitigate the risks posed by Omicron.

There were just 16 new cases in Canberra on Tuesday. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

“We will continue to monitor the situation over the holiday period, listen to the health advice and respond further if needed.”

The mask rule will remain in place over Christmas and the New Year period before being reviewed in January.

NSW is yet to introduce a mask mandate, with Premier Dominic Perrottet saying people had to learn to live with the virus.

“We are taking a balanced and proportionate response that is completely focused on keeping people safe, while at the same time opening up our economy and ensuring that people are able to work and provide for their families,” he said.

“There will always be new variants of this virus. The pandemic is not going away. We need to learn to live alongside it.”

The new places where people have to wear a mask in the ACT:

– Indoor retail settings

– Public transport

– Hospitality venues (except when seated, or eating or drinking)

– Indoor workplaces

– Visitors and staff in residential aged care facilities