Mask wearing abolished on Sydney and NSW public transport
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Dominic Perrottet FINALLY Abolishes Mandatory Mask Wear on Public Transport in NSW
- NSW finally scraps masks on public transport
- People are still advised to wear masks in busy, high-risk Covid situations
- Wearing a mask is also advised where their people are more vulnerable to Covid
- Prime Minister Dominic Perrottet said the move was a ‘common sense’ approach
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Commuters in NSW no longer have to wear masks on public transport with the oft-ignored rule to finally be scrapped.
Masks will be voluntary from Wednesday for all modes of transport, including taxis and taxi services, Prime Minister Dominic Perrottet announced.
“This is a common sense approach that aligns the rules for people traveling on buses or trains with those for planes and airport terminals,” he said.
NSW Health still advised people to wear masks where they could not physically distance themselves from others, and where there were vulnerable people or those at high risk of serious illness.
“Continuing to wear a mask in crowded areas will be especially important for people with underlying health conditions or who are vulnerable to Covid-19 infection for other reasons,” said Health Minister Brad Hazzard.
“Wearing a mask in these environments not only protects the people around you, but also reduces the risk of infection.”
The requirements to isolate for at least five days after testing the positive will remain in effect and Mr Hazzard warned NSW residents to continue to get tested.
“We can all continue to help protect each other, but especially those most vulnerable to Covid-19 infection, by staying home if we feel unwell, taking a Covid-19 test right away and going into self-isolation.” he said.
Transportation Secretary David Elliott said he welcomed the decision to bring the commuter mask mandate in line with the rules in other states, domestic travel, venues and events.
“Everyone has shown during this pandemic that they will do whatever it takes to protect themselves and each other from Covid-19 and I have no doubt they will continue to do so,” he said.
“Commuters will be happy with this news, as they can now make a personal decision and choose when to wear a mask, especially in outdoor public transport areas.”
Even the notoriously Covid paranoid Western Australian Prime Minister Mark McGowan abolished the public transport mask mandate from 9 September.
Despite the mandatory masks being in effect long after the indoor mandate was lifted in February, fewer and fewer passengers were wearing them.
Even a large minority of bus drivers haven’t bothered to put them on in recent months, and long before that, they weren’t asking passengers.
Wearing a mask remains mandatory in public hospitals, private health facilities and residential aged care facilities.