The ACT’s mask mandate will end at 11.59pm this Friday, 9 July, with the ACT Government comfortable the greatest risk period for the Territory from the Sydney outbreak has passed.
Canberrans will still be encouraged to don face masks in high-risk settings and where social distancing isn’t possible, such as on public transport and in crowded indoor venues.
“Hang on to them,” said Chief Minister Andrew Barr. “It may be necessary in the ACT to use them again under a mask mandate.
“On the balance of public health measures, they form one line of protection and it’s certainly been preferable in the ACT over the last couple of weeks to have a mask mandate rather than reintroducing a range of density restrictions or other restrictions on our daily lives.”
In line with Sydney’s extended lockdown, the ACT’s stay-at-home orders for those who have been in Greater Sydney have been extended to next Friday, 16 July.
Around 6,400 people in the Territory are currently subject to stay-at-home orders after visiting the Sydney area in recent weeks.
The ACT Government is still urging no travel to or from Greater Sydney, where 27 new cases of the virus were recorded in the 24 hours to 8pm yesterday.
“If you are transiting through the Greater Sydney area, don’t stop and don’t expose yourself to any risk,” said Mr Barr.
The ACT recorded no new cases of the virus today and has remained COVID-free despite the ongoing situation in NSW and across the country.
Mr Barr said he was “pleasantly surprised” the ACT had not seen a single case of the virus from the Greater Sydney outbreak of the Delta strain.
“Canberra has done exceptionally well,” he said, “that is a combination of good management and good luck”.
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