Leaders will meet on Wednesday to discuss the nation’s Covid response, as New South Wales pushes to reduce the isolation period from seven to five days. Masks are still required to be worn on domestic flights and international inbound flights but not in Australian airports. Australia’s expert medical panel in June – ahead of a peak in Covid cases – advised that masks should continue to be worn on flights.The Australian Health Protection Principal Committee is yet to change its position. But the Herald Sun understands the issue had been flagged for Wednesday’s meeting. A spokesman for the Prime Minister’s Office said: “The Prime Minister has made it clear that he will continue to listen to the health advice”.When mask mandates in airport terminals were axed, Health Minister Mark Butler said state and territory leaders would all have to agree to scrap the rule on planes. Mr Butler said a national approach would prevent rules varying in each jurisdiction. Qantas boss Alan Joyce has previously pushed for mask mandates on planes to end saying its HEPA filters on an aircraft that take out 99 per cent of all particles, including Covid-19.“We think they (aircraft) are the safest environment of any transport in the world,” Mr Joyce said in June. “So we think there’s a good case to remove masks from aircraft to stop this confusion.”From Monday, passengers at Changi airport and those travelling on Singapore Airlines will no longer be required to wear masks, unless they are travelling to or from destinations – like Australia- that still have the rules. The USA, UK and several European countries have scrapped masks mandates on flights. However, some airlines still recommend passengers wear one. Passengers leaving Australia do not have to wear masks depending on the airline and where they are travelling to. Airlines including Qantas and Virgin continue to work with authorities in regards to the mask mandate, saying it is a requirement for all passengers and team members to abide by the rules.
Powered by WPeMatico
