Masks now mandatory

From 11.59pm on Wednesday 22 July 2020, everyone over the age of 12 living in metropolitan Melbourne and Mitchell Shire is required to wear a face covering when leaving home. This advice applies to Bayside.

Wearing a face mask helps keep you and our community safe by providing an additional physical barrier to coronavirus (COVID-19). 

The Chief Health Officer recommends a cloth mask made of three layers of a mix of breathable fabrics to ensure adequate protection however if a face mask is unavailable, a face covering including a scarf, bandana or face shield is better than nothing.

Fines of $200 may be issued by Victoria Police to people who do not wear an appropriate face covering unless they have a valid reason for an exception.

The best way to protect each other from COVID-19 is:

In line with stage 3 “stay home” restrictions there are still only four reasons to leave your home:

If you can stay home, you must stay home.

Find out more about face masks via the DHHS Coronavirus mask webpage.

DHHS have produced this helpful guide to make a cloth mask made of washable fabric or view a video with step by step instructions.

Re-usable cloth masks should be washed after each use before you put it back on. It is a good idea to have multiple cloth masks so you always have a clean one available.

Once on, avoid touching your face mask and be sure to wash your hands before and after handling your mask.

To clean, fold the mask and put it directly into the laundry or into a disposable or washable bag for laundering.

Keep a paper bag or zip lock bag with you to carry fresh face coverings and to keep them clean.

For further information regarding the wearing of masks visit the DHHS website.

Single-use face masks, also known as surgical masks, should be worn once then disposed of responsibly. They cannot be washed and used again.

Once on, avoid touching your face mask and be sure to wash your hands before and after handling your mask.

Dispose of a single use mask responsibly in the general waste bin after one use.

Single use masks should not end up as litter on our streets. Please take care to dispose of safely.

For further information regarding the wearing of masks visit the DHHS website.

Bayside is a considerate and connected community and we all have a responsibility to follow the guidelines put in place to protect our most vulnerable residents and help slow the spread of COVID-19.

Baysiders, show us your masks by sharing a selfie of you wearing your mask on our Facebook page.