People travelling to Australia will no longer be required to wear masks, one week after the government dropped the mask mandate for domestic flights. The move, which takes effect on Sept. 9, comes as COVID-19 restrictions continue to be axed across the nation. Federal Health Minister Mark Butler said the mask mandate was removed on the advice of the Chief Medical Officer that it is “no longer proportionate in the current context.”
“The requirement to wear masks on international flights to Australia was first implemented in January 2021 to reduce the risk of transmission of COVID-19 on board flights,” he said. “I encourage everyone travelling overseas to be mindful of the continuing risk of COVID-19 and to take personal precautions to stop the spread and stay safe.”
Under the new rules, travellers who tested positive for COVID-19 with no symptoms will need to isolate for five days. Meanwhile, workers in aged, disability and home care still need to isolate for seven days, regardless of whether they are symptomatic or not. It comes as Australian states and territories will no longer publish daily updates on COVID-19 cases, with Health Minister of the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Rachel Stephen-Smith deeming it “not as important as it was.”