Australia’s chief medical officers do not recommend masks where there is no community transmission. In Melbourne, it’s a different story.
Australia’s chief medical officers have recommended that masks are worn on public transport and when Victorians leave the home for the first time but only in the COVID-19 hotspot of Melbourne.
Deputy chief medical officer Nick Coatsworth announced the change in policy on Thursday just 24 hours after doctors called for masks to be worn in Victoria as a precaution.
“Surgical masks or cloth masks are recommended if you find yourself in a situation where you cannot socially distance,’’ he said.
“This means if you have to leave your home for any of those reasons for which it is permissible, and you are likely to find yourself in a situation where you cannot follow the advice on social distancing.
“It continues to be the case that the most important measure that you can do to prevent the virus from getting from one person to another is to maintain your distance between individuals. That is the purpose of the Stage three restrictions, it is why they are going to work.
“It worked the first time and it will work again.”