Face mask rules in southern Tasmania until 6pm, October 22

Residents living in southern Tasmania must wear a mask until 6pm Friday — all the rules, restrictions and exemptions explained here >>

A dozen local government areas in southern Tasmania have had to immediately return to taking a mask wherever they go — but what are the rules on when you have to wear them and when you can go without?

Here are the rules broken down.

Who has to wear a mask?

Anyone aged 12 and older who lives or is in the local government areas of:

• Brighton
• Central Highlands
• Clarence
• Derwent Valley
• Glamorgan-Spring Bay
• Glenorchy
• Hobart
• Huon Valley
• Kingborough
• Sorell
• Southern Midlands
• Tasman

must wear a face mask outside the home up until 6pm Friday, October 22, 2021.

The affected Tasmanian council areas with restrictions until 6pm Friday, October 22.

Wearing a mask outside the home means anytime you leave the boundaries of your property you must be wearing a mask including:

• in public spaces
• in the workplace
• when using public transport
• while shopping; or
• visiting a business or someone else’s home.

If you need to enter or exit the southern Tasmania area between now and 6pm Friday, October 22, mask wearing restrictions will still apply to you. People who exit the southern area are required to continue wearing a mask as if still in the restricted area until the mask mandate ends on Friday 22 October, i.e. the mask mandate ‘travels with you.’

If you enter the restricted area from elsewhere during the mask mandate, the mask rules now apply to you and you must wear a mask in accordance with the rules for the southern region.

A person who transits through the southern area without leaving their vehicle is not considered to have spent time in the southern region.

How to wear a face mask correctly

Your mask should fit securely around your face and cover your mouth and nose. A scarf or bandana is not considered an appropriate mask.

Do I have to wear a mask at school?

Masks must be worn by staff at all schools (primary and secondary) as well as students in secondary school (Years 7-12).

Primary school students do not need to wear a face mask even if they are 12 years or older, whist on school grounds.

Primary school children aged 12 or older will however need to wear a mask in other public settings as per the mask mandate.

Do I have to wear a mask at work or uni?

Yes, you must wear a mask in the workplace and in post-compulsory education settings for example your office, TAFE or university campus.

You don’t need to wear a face mask if you are working alone with no one else in the space.

You may also remove your mask to communicate clearly as part of your work or training (eg clear enunciation)

Do I have to wear a mask shopping or visiting businesses?

You must wear a mask in all business and retail settings. This includes when going to the supermarket, shopping for goods and accessing retail services.

You must wear your mask while in restaurants and cafes, though you are permitted to remove your mask briefly to eat and drink.

Masks are required while shopping. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gaye Gerard

You are allowed to remove your mask if you are receiving a service that you wouldn’t otherwise be able to receive if you kept your mask on (e.g. haircut, beard trim, tattoo, piercing, facial). People providing this service to you must wear a mask.

If you are a performer you may temporarily remove your mask if necessary for a rehearsal or performance.

Do I have to wear a mask when exercising, playing sport or going to the gym?

You must wear a mask while undertaking exercise or recreation activities in a public space (outside your home) including at the gym or a dedicated facility. There are times where you can temporarily remove your mask such as:

• During intense physical exercise, e.g. while running or completing an intense cardio workout. During less intense exercise, keep your mask on
• While riding a bicycle or motorcycle

The Tasmanian Government suggests you use a common sense approach when wearing a mask during exercise or other recreation activities (eg boating or fishing).

A good rule of thumb is to always wear a mask if you can, ie you should keep your mask on during a yoga or relaxation class (unless you are personally experiencing intense exertion) but can remove your mask when running.

When in a gym with other people, keep your mask on if you can during exercise.

Hospitals and aged care

You must wear a mask when entering a hospital, healthcare facility or any kind or aged care home. You can remove your mask if you are receiving medical care that is difficult to provide while you are wearing a mask. Masks will continue to be required in healthcare settings after the mask mandate expires at 6pm on Friday, October 22.

Visits at home

You must wear a mask when visiting another household or hosting visitors at your home.

You do not need to wear a mask if visiting a person with whom you are in a significant relationship.

Premier Peter Gutwein wears a mask. Picture: Zak simmonds

Do I have to wear a mask when attending events (including weddings and funerals)?

All event attendees and staff must wear a mask regardless of whether the event is in a public space or on private property.

During a wedding the couple being married are permitted to remove their masks during the ceremony (ie during their vows) but must wear a mask at other times.

A celebrant may remove their mask to ensure clear enunciation during a ceremony, but must wear a mask at other times.

You may remove your mask temporarily while eating and drinking at events.

Once the mask mandate for southern Tasmania ends at 6pm on Friday, October 22, you will continue to need to wear a mask at some events.

From September 18, 2021, masks are required to be worn at any event that has more than 1000 people in attendance, regardless of whether the event is seated or unseated, indoors or outdoors.

If you are attending an event you must wear a mask, including while queuing, entering or exiting from the event.

Travelling in Tasmania

If you are staying overnight at an accommodation facility, your room at the accommodation is considered your residence and you are not required to wear a mask while in your room. You must wear a mask while in common areas or using shared facilities such as hotel bars or restaurants.

Exceptions to wearing a face mask

Face masks don’t have to be worn if:

• Aged under 12 years or a student at primary school, or
• aged over 12, but still a student at primary school, while on the school grounds
• a medical exemption certifies that the person has a physical or mental health, illness, condition or disability that makes the wearing of a face mask unsuitable
• Everyone else must wear a face mask whenever they are outside their homes, other than when:
• visiting a person with whom you are in a significant relationship with
• you are a couple being married (during ceremony only, masks must be worn at other times).
• communicating with a person who is deaf, or has impaired hearing, and visibility of the mouth is essential for the communication
• wearing a face mask would create a risk to the health or safety of the person
• clear enunciation, or visibility of the mouth, is essential as part of employment or training
• consuming food, drink or medicine
• undergoing medical care, or treatment, that can’t be provided while wearing a face mask
• you are requested to remove your face mask by an authorised person
• working, volunteering or studying alone in an indoor or outdoor space (whether enclosed or open) and there is no one else in that space (You must put on a mask if another person enters the space).
• travelling in a vehicle alone, or only with someone who normally lives with you
• riding a bicycle or motorcycle
• doing intense physical exercise
• there is an emergency and it is not practicable or safe to wear a face mask
• you may lawfully remove, or are lawfully required to remove, the fitted face covering
• an exemption is provided by the Director of Public Health (or delegate).

What are the best kinds of face masks?

Face masks must be designed or made to be worn over the mouth and nose and should fit securely around your face to provide protection against infection.

The best face mask is a single-use surgical mask that you can buy at a chemist or pharmacy. If you are unable to get a surgical mask, any other single-use paper or cloth masks are fine to use. The most effective cloth masks are made up of at least three layers of fabric. A scarf or bandana is not considered an appropriate face mask.

How often do I need to change my face mask?

Surgical and paper masks should only be used once.

If you choose to use a cloth mask, you can wash and re-use them many times. It is a good idea to have at least two, so you will always have a clean one available.

Don’t re-use the same mask to go home that you used on the trip to a location.

Throw used surgical masks in the bin or store used cloth masks in a plastic bag until you can wash them.

Re-using a cloth mask without washing it is risky, because it can become contaminated or may not be as effective in protecting you. For each new situation put on a clean mask.

Carry your clean masks in a plastic or paper bag to keep them clean.

Cloth masks should be washed after every use. They can be washed in the washing machine with other clothes, or hand washed using soap and the warmest appropriate water setting for the cloth.

Dry the cloth mask in the clothes dryer or in fresh air before you re-use it.

Clean your hands with soap and water or hand sanitiser (made up of over 60% alcohol or 70% isopropanol) after handling used face masks.

I wear glasses. How do I stop my glasses from fogging up when wearing a mask?

Specsavers have a number of helpful tips for glasses-wearing residents:

1. Pull your mask up your nose and rest your glasses on top

The reason why your glasses keep fogging up is because your breath is escaping out the top of your mask. If you can seal the top of the mask with the weight of your specs, you may find it much easier.

2. Stick your mask on your nose and cheeks with some surgical tape

If the weight of your glasses doesn’t do the trick, you can always use some surgical tape to adhere your mask to your face. You’ll find that the longer the tape is the better the seal will be so it’s best to stick the tape onto the bridge of your nose and along your cheek bone. You can find suitable surgical tape easily at your local pharmacy.

3. Adjust your mask ties

Is your mask tight and snug? Adjusting the nose bar and your mask ties can make a real difference. The tighter the fit of the mask, the more it is going to stop your breath from coming out.

Originally published as Face mask rules in southern Tasmania until 6pm, October 22