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Tasmanians must wear masks at big events

Masks will be mandatory at indoor and outdoor events in Tasmania with more than 1000 people.

Masks will be mandatory at indoor and outdoor events in Tasmania with more than 1000 people. Photo: AAP

Tasmanians attending events for 1000 or more people will have to wear masks, despite no recorded active cases in the state.

Masks will be mandatory at indoor and outdoor events where more than a 1000 are due to attend from September 18.

“I think it’s a very sensible decision to make face masks compulsory,” Premier Peter Gutwein said on Friday.

“It reduces the risk of COVID-19 under the current circumstances of those settings.”

Public Health director Mark Veitch said mask wearing will give confidence to Tasmanian health authorities.

“So by requiring masks in events of 1000 people and it gives me and others who are approving these events some comfort … we know that it does help prevent transmission,” said Dr Veitch.

There are no recorded cases of COVID-19 in Tasmania.

The state has previously mandated that all health care and aged care workers are vaccinated.

On Friday, the Tasmanian premier said “there will be no recognition of conscientious objection” for those vaccination directions.

The state is due to hit a 70 per cent vaccination rate for eligible Tasmanians by mid-October and 80 per cent by late October.

Mr Gutwein expects 70 per cent of Tasmanians will receive their first dose in the next seven days.

Tasmania’s Department of Health secretary Kathrine Morgan-Wicks said there has been a positive response from parents and students at schools.

Vaccinations will be available for children aged 12 to 15 in Tasmania from Monday.

“I respect absolutely all of the commentary in relation to conscientious objection, but that’s not something that’s going to come into our public health directions,” Ms Morgan-Wicks said.

Dr Veitch said health authorities had not recommended any changes for Tasmanians seeking to travel to “high risk” states like NSW.

“Clearly people would be imprudent to travel to NSW or the ACT or Victoria, and would need to … quarantine if they do make a decision to go to these places,” he said.

“Public health hasn’t recommended the current change to the settings.”

-AAP

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