NSW Health authorities have said people living outside the Greater Sydney area who have visited Sydney in the past 14 days must wear a face mask when they return home.
A Public Heath Order has been issued and has meant people in regional communities who have been to Sydney recently are required to mask up.
Hunter New England (HNE) Health have said “mask wearing applies regardless of your COVID-19 vaccination status” and that the new rule is mandatory.
“The Public Health Order requiring this [mask wearing] is due to expire on 1 July, however we recommend monitoring for changes to the Order or extension of the Order” said a statement from HNE Health.
Chief Health Officer of NSW Health Dr Kerry Chant has explained why this new measure has been implemented:
"In terms of the risk period, we believe that there were exposures obviously on the is 12th and 13th of June and around that period were when people that initiated the outbreak or the transmission were out in the community.
"So we take back that 14 days which takes us roughly back to that period and we know that if you've left the area since 14 days and haven't become unwell, then you're unlikely to have COVID.
"So for that reason, we're just asking, as an additional precaution, we do not want to seed our regional areas.
"I should say that we've had a sewerage detection in Bourke and we are now testing that.
"We don't want seeding events.
"We're talking about the ski fields and the particular unique proximity to indoors.
"We would ask that people wear masks indoors in the ski fields and we would also ask that if you've been in those areas, that you please wear a mask."
For more information and the latest COVID-19 updates check out NSW Health and ABC News Live Updates.
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