The masks are off, but experts urge Queenslanders to keep them close

“It will still be a good idea going forward to have a mask on you in case you can’t socially distance, particularly if you’re having a prolonged indoor close contact,” Dr Griffin said.

“That means mainly things like public transport, ride-share vehicles, airline travel, anywhere you’re in prolonged close contact with people.”

South-east Queensland has had two short periods of lockdown so far in 2021, with masks mandated on both occasions, before the mandate was relaxed.

However, with disruptions to the federal vaccine rollout and questions still being asked about how the virus jumped quarantine to form two clusters linked to Brisbane’s Princess Alexandra Hospital, sparking the most recent lockdown, Queenslanders are being…