Currently we have the situation occurring in Tasmania whereby a group of around 14,000 people who have arrived from Victoria between 8 July and 15 July, for what we expect to be a relatively short period of time, are required to wear masks while in public and in work settings. The Public Health advice is that a person in that group poses a relatively low risk to the broader community or in their work environment, when wearing a mask and strictly practising COVID safe behaviours.
The Tasmanian Government recognises that in schools and educational settings this can be a more challenging policy to implement. So that parents and schools can plan appropriately, any staff or student in a Government school or college affected by the mask wearing requirement should not attend school until Thursday 22 July, but must continue to wear a mask, limit their movements in the community and follow the public health advice.
The mask direction is currently in place until midnight on Tuesday 20 July and will be reviewed prior to that date. The Department of Education will provide more detailed advice to schools and colleges later today and in coming days following further public health advice.