Queensland Ditches Face Mask Advice For Indoor Settings

Queenslanders can ditch face masks in indoor settings from today!

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced on Friday that face masks are no longer required to be worn in indoors but remain mandatory in health facilities, such as hospitals and aged care facilities, as well as on public transport and planes.

Stay up-to-date on the latest news with The National Briefing - keeping you in the loop with news as it hits

"I've been advised that as we come off the third wave of Omicron and reported cases and hospitalisations continue to reduce, the recommendation for wearing masks indoors now changes," she said.

The premier added that vulnerable Queenslanders should continue to wear masks when social distancing is not manageable, to better protect themselves against Covid.

The change comes as case numbers are declining across the state, with the latest figures showing a huge reduction in work absenteeism due to Covid or the flu.

The premier said Queensland’s third Covid wave peaked in July, with over 2500 people off work or isolating due to contracting Covid or the flu.

She said that figure has now reduced to 488.

There were 2,091 new cases reported on Friday, with 321 people in hospital with Covid, while eight people have died from the virus in the last 24-hours.

Join Tom Tilley with regular rotating co-hosts Jan Fran, Annika Smethurst and Jamila Rizvi on The Briefing, Monday - Saturday, for the day's headlines and breaking news as well as hot topics and interviews. Available on Listnr.