Qld Covid: New mask rules for Qld as cases surge to record 186

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has announced new mask rules as Queensland’s Covid-19 caseload continues to surge.

Queensland has announced new mask-wearing rules for cinemas and hospitality venues as the state’s Covid caseload continues to surge into uncharted territory.

There were 186 new Covid cases recorded ahead of Wednesday’s emergency meeting of national cabinet – a new daily record for the state – though authorities expect the true number is actually far greater than that.

Crucially, just one person – who has a number of pre-existing conditions – is in hospital and requiring significant care for Covid.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said this was an indication that vaccines were having the desired effect.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has announced new mask rules. PICTURE: Brad Fleet

“The vaccines appear to be working and they are protecting Queenslanders from getting seriously sick,” she said.

Ms Palaszczuk also announced face masks will be mandatory in cinemas and theatres, and for hospitality staff, from 5am on Thursday.

Masks are already mandatory in supermarkets, shops, on public transport, and in rideshares.

“This is not very onerous,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

“We have spoken to the industry and to the unions. They understand why this is necessary. Essentially we don‘t want to have all of our cafes and restaurants going down because of the Omicron variant.”

BREAKING: Masks will be made mandatory in cinemas and theatres as well as for hospitality workers from 5am tomorrow (23 December).

Queensland has made masks mandatory in retail centres, hospitals, aged care, airports, ridesharing vehicles and on public transport.#covid19pic.twitter.com/dqI0QLCMnA

— Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) December 22, 2021

Of the 186 new cases on Wednesday, 177 were under investigation. There are 79 people in hospital with Covid and 112 people receiving care at home.

Wednesday’s case numbers are a marked increase on the 86 infections recorded on Tuesday and a continuation of the expected surge following the reopening of borders last week.

There are 447 cases active in the state at the moment, including 79 omicron cases. The new variant is expected to become the dominant strain, if it hasn’t already.

However, chief health officer Dr John Gerrard said the state’s vaccination record meant most people with the virus were only reporting “trivial” symptoms.

He did however acknowledge that the virus was likely already more widely spread than the numbers suggested.

“We know that we‘re not picking up every case,” he said.

Chief Health Officer Dr John Gerrard said Dr Gerrard said it was inevitable that public health units will wind down their investigation efforts as the virus spreads further. PICTURE: Brad Fleet

“That … is an underestimate of the real number of people in Queensland who are already carrying this virus.”

Authorities expect case numbers could reach the thousands by January if daily numbers double every 48 hours as expected.

Dr Gerrard also said it was inevitable that public health units will wind down their investigation efforts as the virus spreads further.

“That happens in a pandemic,” Dr Gerrard said.

“That is always something that we always expect that we will as time goes by wind back the public health response so we won‘t investigate every single case to the nth degree.”

Ms Palaszczuk said the state had welcomed 257,000 people across its borders since Monday.

Queensland police received 102 covid-related calls over the past 24 hours, 30 of which were related to patrons and 70 related to businesses under the new public health measures.

No fines were issued.

Wednesday’s update comes a day after Queensland announced a major change to its coronavirus management regime, with fully vaccinated close contacts of Covid-19 patients having their quarantine periods halved from 14 days to seven days.