An outbreak of Covid 19 in Queensland has led to calls to mandating masks. Photo / 123RF
An outbreak of Covid 19 in Queensland has led to calls to mandating masks. Photo / 123RF
With Queensland's latest virus cluster expected to grow, the state's chief medico has new advice on where people should wear a mask.
One month after she told Queenslanders there was no need to cover their faces, the state's chief health officer has urged residents to wear masks in crowded places, and mandated face coverings in all public hospitals.
It comes as Queensland Health rolls out more testing facilities as the state experiences its largest bout of community transmission of Covid-19 in months, after a 77-year-old tested positive to the virus after working five shifts at the Wacol Youth Detention Centre.
Since then, four other staff and five close contacts have all tested positive, including one new case on Monday.
Staff, patients and visitors in Greater Brisbane's public hospitals will have to wear face masks in one of the strictest measures introduced during the pandemic. Dr Jeannette Young said.
The new requirement applies to all hospitals in the Metro North, Metro South, and West Moreton Hospital and Health Services.
Outside, Young said it was time for Queenslanders to consider wearing a mask "if they can't maintain social distancing".
"If you're in a crowded situation that you can't get out of, put a mask on.
"I'm not going to mandate it because I don't believe we have broad-spread community transmission but certainly we're in a risky period."
Young warned masks were not "totally foolproof" and urged residents to continue getting tested.
Yesterday morning, Young confirmed only 6834 people had been tested, short of the daily average of 9436, and down from the largest testing day on August 8 where 18, 748 samples were taken.
There's been a push for more testing facilities to open up on Brisbane's southside and Ipswich, in areas impacted by the latest cluster.
Reports of wait times of up to five hours were experienced in Wacol.
Health Minister Steven Miles has urged Queenslanders who have already been tested not to be put off by wait times, and get tested again if they develop new symptoms.
Public health alerts have been issued for dozens of locations across Greater Brisbane and Ipswich where people infected as part of the youth detention centre cluster visited.
Suburbs affected include Mt Gravatt East, Springfield, Carindale, Camp Hill, Marsden, Forest Lake, Browns Plains, Greenbank, Mt Gravatt, Carina Heights, Slacks Creek, Indooroopilly, Greenslopes, Crestmead, Brassall, Birkdale, Bundamba and Wacol.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the next seven to 14 days would be particularly critical for people to come forward for testing.
