Melburnians are preparing to wear masks or face a $200 fine as efforts to control the “rollercoaster” rise in coronavirus cases ramps up.
Victoria recorded 363 new coronavirus on Sunday and another three deaths, two men and a woman all in their 90s, bringing the state toll to 38 and the national figure to 122.
Premier Daniel Andrews on Sunday announced masks will be mandatory from 11.59pm on Wednesday for residents of Greater Melbourne and Mitchell Shire.
The two areas remain in lockdown, with people only allowed to leave their homes – with a mask on – to exercise, buy groceries, care or care-giving and to go to work or school if they cannot do so from home.
More than 700,000 students from prep to Year 10 will return to remote learning on Monday while students in Years 11 and 12, and students in specialists settings continued to attend campuses across the lockdown areas.
Professor Sharon Lewin, director of the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, told Nine’s Today program masks will help control the virus spread.
However, it could take more than a week to know if it is working.
“Any time you introduce an intervention with attacking this coronavirus you don’t see the result for about seven to 10 days which makes things very tricky,” she told Nine’s Today program.
Federal cabinet minister Josh Frydenberg lives in Melbourne and supports the new health direction.
“Not in all circumstances can we safely socially distance and in those cases you certainly want everyone wearing a mask,” he told Sky News on Monday.
The move to make masks mandatory comes as health authorities confirm about 80 per cent of the state’s new cases since mid-May were driven by workplaces including staff working at several aged care facilities, abattoirs and large distribution centres.
“So workplaces are a big part of our challenge,” Mr Andrews said on Sunday. “That’s where a lot of our problem is.”
There now 216 cases of coronavirus linked to 40 aged care facilities across the state.
As the state continues to battle the COVID-19 outbreak, the inquiry into Victoria’s now-infamous hotel quarantine program starts on Monday, led by retired judge Jennifer Coate and assisted by Tony Neal QC.
No witnesses will be giving evidence on Monday and the final report is expected to be handed down mid-September.
About 80 per cent of the state’s new cases since mid-May have been driven by workplace transmission, the Government believes.
“So workplaces are a big part of our challenge,” Mr Andrew said. “That’s where a lot of our problem is.”
NSW tightens borders as new clusters emerge
Meanwhile, authorities are trying to trace a growing coronavirus cluster on the NSW south coast as infection numbers across Melbourne continue to climb.
The Soldiers Club in Batemans Bay has been closed for two weeks after eight people tested positive.
Anyone who dined at the waterfront venue between July 13 and 17 is being urged to get tested and self-isolate.
Sydney residents are being urged to avoid public transport and social gatherings as case numbers increase.
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