While Tasmania's COVID-19 health emergency declaration officially ended on June 30, a recent spike in hospitalisations and deaths has left some considering whether mask mandates should return.
The health emergency declaration relates to a set of legal processes and powers but does not change the government's ability to respond to the pandemic
Hospital patients with COVID in Tasmania have increased five-fold in the past week, and hospitals across to state have increased their escalation plans.Robyn Murrell said she felt quite worried when she ventured outside as she had a chronic lung disease. The state government has continuously said that although the declaration has ended, the COVID pandemic is not over.
"Public health messaging isn't just telling people what to do, either through rules or messages that encourage it," Dr Bennett said.
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