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Topic
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With the lifting of the NSW Covid-19 rules, does one still need to wear a mask in the common property of a strata building?
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Replies
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In a word, yes. The latest Public Health Order states:
Masks must be worn in indoor areas (other than places of residence), indoor common property on residential premises, public transport waiting areas/vehicles/vessels, while working in hospitality and dealing directly with members of the public, and on domestic commercial aircraft. Teachers and staff must wear masks at schools. Certain exceptions apply.
The opinions offered in these Forum posts and replies are not intended to be taken as legal advice. Readers with serious issues should consult experienced strata lawyers.
Something very strange is going on. Our concierges are telling residents they no longer need to wear masks on common property but the Public Health Orders say the opposite.
I suspect a strata manager somewhere – maybe not even in this block – has gone off half-cocked and sent out bad info and it’s spreading fast (because we all want it to be true).
And there are suggestions that mask wearing in offices will no longer be compulsory (just advised) when we get to 80 percent double vaxxed but no word on strata schemes as yet.
Watch this space.
The opinions offered in these Forum posts and replies are not intended to be taken as legal advice. Readers with serious issues should consult experienced strata lawyers.
It seems it was a miscommunication – the concierges were told they didn’t need to tell owners to put masks on and that was misconstrued as telling them we don’t need to wear masks.
But the fact remains, in NSW residents, visitors, delivery people and tradies should be wearing masks in the common areas of strata buildings, until such times as the Public Heath Orders say otherwise.
The opinions offered in these Forum posts and replies are not intended to be taken as legal advice. Readers with serious issues should consult experienced strata lawyers.
NSW Health has reiterated its advice which is basically unchanged despite other restrictions being eased this week.
Further to our previous communications regarding the COVID-19 roadmap update, masks are still mandatory in all indoor common areas of residential strata premises in NSW.
Common areas include:
- lifts
- car parks
- garbage areas
- lobbies
- stairwells
- corridors
- and any indoor areas that residents may pass through.
Masks are not required to be worn inside your own your residence or apartment.
COVID-19 spreads more easily indoors and in settings where you can’t physically distance. That’s why it’s really important that masks are worn by every person who enters the building, including:
- residents and visitors
- contractors
- staff
- delivery drivers/riders.
Share and print the updated posters to make it easier to communicate the mask wearing rules with your residents, community and networks.
We will continue to keep you informed of your requirements to comply with COVID safety measures, including a factsheet that will be made available on nsw.gov.au.
The opinions offered in these Forum posts and replies are not intended to be taken as legal advice. Readers with serious issues should consult experienced strata lawyers.
Do you know when the Mask rules in strata common areas will be removed in NSW?
It seems strange this rule remains in place, while we can have 10-20 people into apartments, workplaces require no masks & and airlines can now fly into NSW without quarantine
However, I see nothing on any forward looking NSW Govt plans.
In our building, there are now many no longer wearing masks in common areas, something which I’d expect to continue. And, along with this, more complaints to strata about not following rules
This is what the current Public Health Order says:MasksSo it’s only double-vaxxed workers who are not dealing with the public who aren’t required to wear masks in offices. I suppose it’s because residents of apartment blocks can’t be asked their vaccination status, that they are required to wear masks.
By the way, the PHO says this about failure to wear masks when you are supposed to:
… on the spot fines can be issued to individuals and corporations for a breach of an Order relating to not wearing or carrying a mask:
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$40 for a person aged 15 and under
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$80 for a person aged 16-17
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$500 for a person aged 18 and above
The problem is, who polices this? Not the strata committee or strata managers and probably not even the police.
The opinions offered in these Forum posts and replies are not intended to be taken as legal advice. Readers with serious issues should consult experienced strata lawyers.
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