Good morning everyone, it’s Matilda Boseley here, and Merry Christmas Eve Eve!
As a Christmas treat, I have… well more Covid-19 news.
Mask regulations are tightening in Queensland cinemas and hospitality venues as Covid-19 case numbers in the state surge into triple figures for the first time.
Queensland’s reported 186 new Covid-19 cases on Wednesday, prompting the state government to ramp up the requirement for mask-wearing.
From 5am on Thursday, workers and patrons at theatres and cinemas will be required to wear masks, while staff in hospitality venues such as pubs and restaurants will also have to mask up.
Masks are already mandated in supermarkets and shops as well as public transport and rideshares.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk vowed Queensland would stay open despite the rapid increase in Omicron infections.
We want to keep our restaurants and our cafes and everything operating over Christmas and New Year.
The new rules come as the state on Wednesday hit the 90 per cent threshold for first-dose vaccinations, according to federal government data.
Moving south, it’s expected that mandatory QR code check-ins will be reintroduced in high-risk settings in NSW following an informal National Cabinet meeting yesterday.
Now, these rules were originally scrapped for both vaccinated and unvaccinated people on 15 December but as case numbers in NSW reached 3700 yesterday, it appears premier Dominic Perrottet has conceded that Omicron may require some backtracking on the rules.
We should learn more when he speaks later in the day.
It’s a similar story in Victoria this morning, only this time it’s masks that might be coming back. The acting premier and chief health officer have both voiced their support for increased mask-wearing in high-risk settings, so we shall see what the official ruling is when they step up later in the day.
Well, there is clearly plenty to get through today, so why don’t we jump right into the day!
