Victorians asked to wear face masks as coronavirus cases surge

Victorian government recommends those in lockdown zones wear masks amid change in medical evidence.

People out on the streets of Melbourne CBD wearing face-masks. Picture: Aaron Francis

The Andrews government now recommends Victorian adults living in lockdown zones wear face masks if they can’t physically distance and will order three million masks to distribute across the state.

The shift in policy on mask-wearing, effective immediately, has been driven by the severe spike in COVID-19 community transmission cases across the state and a change in the international medical evidence, the government said.

It will order more than two million reusable marks by the end of July and a further million

A medical worker tests a child at Epichealth Ocean Grove.

single-use masks for use in the interim as it looks to contain the second wave outbreak that saw 288 new coronavirus cases on Friday alone.

“The Chief Health Officer has now given us the clear advice that wearing face masks makes a tangible difference when it comes to reducing the transmission of coronavirus within the community – and that is why we are issuing this new recommendation,” Victorian Premier Dan Andrews said.

“Staying at home if you feel unwell is still the best way to slow the spread of coronavirus but wearing a cloth mask provides an additional physical barrier, adding one more layer of protection for you and those around you,” he said.

“Whether you are in an Uber or a taxi or if you are on public transport … or even shopping for the basics … we are simply asking that if you can wear a mask where you can’t distance, that is exactly what we’d like you to do.”

People wear masks in Melbourne CBD whie out buying groceries following the premier’s advice. Picture: Aaron Francis/The Australian

Mr Andrews said it was a recommendation only, and people wouldn’t be fined for not wearing a mask.

“It is our request of you, it’s not compulsory,” Mr Andrews said, adding the government was acting out of “an abundance of caution” and with the support of the national health emergency taskforce, the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee.

“This is not something that’s going to be for a week or even six weeks, I think masks in those circumstances where you can’t maintain distance will be a feature of the response to the pandemic for the foreseeable future, maybe many, many months.”

The recommendation applies only to those over 18, with the government factoring in the lower transmission levels and severity of the virus in children and the practical difficulty in getting younger children to wear them properly. It does not apply to school or early childhood learning settings.

Desmond Silverwood comes out from a tight lockdown at the North Melbourne towers to go to the shops. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Crosling

Victoria’s chief health officer Brett Sutton said while previous evidence on the value of masks in preventing COVID-19 transmission had been contradictory and inconclusive, more recent studies had concluded that wearing face masks can significantly reduce transmission even accounting for imperfections and human error in how they are worn.

A woman goes shopping in South Melbourne. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Crosling

“With a virus this infectious, every bit helps and the simple action of wearing a face mask will help protect your family, your neighbours and the most vulnerable in our community,” Professor Sutton said.

“When they’re worn very broadly across a population where people can’t distance that 1.5 metres, they can make a difference, they can reduce transmission by up to two thirds.

“When we’re trying to do absolutely everything in Victoria to drive transmission down, it’s a really important additional tool,” he said.

Further work will be undertaken this week to determine the best method for distributing the face masks across Victoria, ensuring those who are most vulnerable are given priority consideration.

Consultation will also occur with union and industry groups about whether the advice around face masks in the workplace needs to also be updated.