Last week national cabinet agreed to lift the mask mandate for domestic flights, as well as to reduce the isolation period for most COVID-19 cases from seven to five days.
The new changes came into effect this morning but mask mandates haven't lifted completely.
Some jurisdictions still require masks on public transport, in hospitals and in care homes, while others have scaled face covering requirements right back.
Click on the links below to see the mask rules for your state or territory:
- Australian Capital Territory
- New South Wales
- Northern Territory
- Queensland
- South Australia
- Tasmania
- Victoria
- Western Australia
ACT
Masks are mandatory in the following settings:
- On public transport, including a public bus, light rail vehicle, taxi, rideshare vehicle, hire car or demand response service vehicle
- Staff and visitors entering a high-risk setting including hospitals, residential aged care facilities, correctional centres and residential accommodation facilities for people who require frequent, close personal care and who are vulnerable to severe disease
- Staff who are providing a service to a person with a disability which is funded by the National Disability Insurance Scheme or provided by the ACT government
- Staff who are working for an in-home and community aged care provider
Household contacts of COVID-19 cases aged 12 years and over must wear a mask in any indoor setting outside their home.
NSW
Masks are required:
- At a public hospital or private health facility (including private hospitals and day procedure centres)
- In residential care facilities or hostels
- On public transport and public transport waiting areas (including in taxis and rideshare services)
- At a cruise terminal
People over the age of 12 who are a household or close contact of someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 must wear a face mask when in an indoor setting outside their home.
Northern Territory
Face masks are mandatory in the following high-risk settings:
- Hospitals and health care facilities
- Aged care facilities
- Disability residential facilities
- Correctional facilities
- Family violence, sobering up and homeless shelters
- Masks must also be worn when outside the home for five days after isolation
Queensland
People 12 years and older must wear a mask in the following settings:
- In healthcare settings, residential aged care, disability accommodation, prisons or detention centres
- On public transport, including while waiting on the platform or at a stop
- In a taxi, rideshare vehicle or commercial shuttle, including while waiting at a taxi rank or pick-up area
And people must wear a mask when outside of their home or accommodation if:
- They have a temperature equal to or higher than 37.5 degrees
- They have COVID-19 symptoms
- They're awaiting a COVID-19 PCR test result
- If they're diagnosed with COVID-19, are a close contact, or are an international traveller (in accordance with other public health directions)
People who test positive must wear a mask when they leave home for seven days after their isolation period ends — that goes for indoor settings as well as outdoors when they can't stay physically distanced from others.
There are exemptions for people affected by a medical condition or disability.
South Australia
It is mandatory for all people to wear masks in the following settings:
- Health care services
- Pharmacies
- Disability care facilities
- Residential aged care facilities
- Passenger transport services – buses, trains, trams, taxis, rideshare, and other hire or charter vehicle arrangements
If you are a close contact you must wear a mask when you leave the house for seven days after exposure.
Tasmania
Mask mandates have largely been scaled back, but masks are still required for the following people:
- Close contacts of COVID-19 cases, in any indoor space outside your home
- Confirmed COVID-19 cases, in circumstances where they may come into contact with, or expose others to, COVID-19
Victoria
People aged eight years and older must wear masks in the following settings:
- On public transport, in taxis/rideshare services and in tourism vehicles
- While visiting a hospital, care facility or any other indoor space that is publicly accessible in a healthcare setting, including allied health settings
- In a public indoor space if you are a close contact of a COVID-19 case
- Working in an indoor space that is a publicly accessible area of a court or justice centre
- Working in a resident-facing role in an indoor space at a care facility, including when not interacting with residents
- Working in an indoor space at a prison, police jail, remand centre, youth residential centre, youth justice centre or post-sentence facility
- After being tested for COVID-19 and awaiting results
- If you have COVID-19 or are a close or household contact and are permitted to leave quarantine (for example, because you have tested negative on a rapid antigen test)
Western Australia
Masks will only be required in high-risk settings such as:
- Hospitals
- Healthcare settings
- Facilities for corrective services
- Residential aged care
- Disability services
