Scrapping of mask requirement in non-clinical settings in Tasmania’s south ‘a complete nonsense’: Greens

The scrapping of a mask requirement in certain Tasmanian health facilities has sparked an incredulous response from a state MP, who has described the move as “a complete nonsense”.

Kathrine Morgan-Wicks, secretary Department of Health. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

The Tasmanian Health Service will no longer require staff, visitors and patients to wear masks in non-clinical areas in the state’s south, a decision the Greens have labelled “a complete nonsense of infection control”.

The move comes after Australian Medical Association Tasmanian president Dr John Saul told a parliamentary inquiry on Thursday that Covid still posed a threat to the community and the state needed to be “prepared and we need to be ready” ahead of an anticipated spike of infections this winter.

In the seven days to Thursday, February 23, 489 new Covid cases were recorded in Tasmania and there were eight new admissions to hospital, including one to ICU.

On Friday, February 24, masks became optional in non-clinical areas within THS-South facilities, such as corridors, offices and administrative settings outside a clinical area, as well as cafeterias, kitchens, laboratories and pharmacies.

Greens MP Rosalie Woodruff.

There are some exceptions, such as Covid close contacts, staff returning to work after having the virus, and those returning to work after contracting an acute non-Covid respiratory tract infection.

Clinical areas include clinical waiting rooms, clinic rooms/areas, inpatient wards, and day treatment areas.

The THS is also transitioning to a minimum PPE requirement of a surgical mask in clinical areas, rather than an N95/P2 mask.

Greens health spokeswoman Rosalie Woodruff said the new arrangement made “no sense”.

“We’re going to have doctors and nurses and patients and visitors moving between wards and around the hospitals, sometimes with masks on, sometimes with masks off,” she said.

“It’s a complete nonsense of infection control for an airborne virus.”

Department of Health Secretary and State Health Commander Kathrine Morgan-Wicks said a determination from the Public Health Director that the current Covid risk in Tasmania was low had factored into the mask ruling.

Kathrine Morgan-Wicks, secretary Department of Health. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Ms Morgan-Wicks said the same relaxed rules applied in hospitals in the north-west, but not in the north.

“The Regional Health Emergency Management Teams assess the risk based on community transmission rates, number of patients in hospital with Covid-19, hospital outbreaks, staff absences with Covid-19 and other relevant information,” she said.

“Hospitals South is at the lowest level of Covid-19 escalation (level 1) – in line with that risk level, the mask requirements have been updated for staff, visitors, outpatients, and patients within Tasmanian Health Services in the south.”

Ms Morgan-Wicks stressed that face masks and other PPE remained “an important way to reduce the risk of Covid-19 and other respiratory illnesses in the hospital”.