ACT relaxes face mask rules but reminds employers to consider own policies

The state still requires a face mask for certain workers

BY Paulinet Tamaray 25 Feb 2022

The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) government has recently announced that its mandatory face mask requirements will ease on 25 February, saying that it would only require wearing a mask indoors to “high-impact settings.”

The changes set to be implemented in the ACT bring similar mask requirements as those in New South Wales and Victoria.

The new policy will be implemented from “6:00 pm on Friday (25 February),” but the ACT government said wearing a face mask will still be mandatory in the following instances:

On public transport, including buses, light rail, taxis, rideshare and demand response vehicles. Drivers of these vehicles must wear a mask when transporting passengers
An employee or visitor in a high-risk setting, including hospitals, residential aged care facilities, correctional facilities or residential accommodation facilities
A worker who provides services to a person with a disability
A worker for in-home and community aged care providers
A staff member or visitor in all indoor spaces at a school or early childhood education and care setting. Students in years 7 to 12 are also required to wear a face mask while in an indoor space at school
Inside the Canberra Airport terminal or on a domestic flight in or out of Canberra Airport.

Despite the relaxation of the rules, Minister for Health Rachel Stephen-Smith still reminded the public about the importance of wearing a mask to slow down transmission, especially in workplaces.

“Canberrans are encouraged to continue wearing a face mask in public indoor settings, particularly where it may be difficult to maintain appropriate physical distancing.”

“Workplaces should consider what mask wearing policies they should implement consistent with the requirements under the Workplace Health and Safety (WHS) Act, both for employees and any clients or visitors that may visit their premises,” Stephen-Smith said.

“This is particularly important for businesses that employ staff with customer-facing roles, and especially for those who are likely to be interacting with vulnerable community members,” Stephen-Smith added.