As NSW nears the predicted peak of the ongoing Omicron wave, advice has caused a divide between authority and medical figures, as medical communities urge the government to bring back mask mandates.

Western NSW hasn’t escaped the rise in Covid-19 cases, with 470 people testing positive in the 24 hours to 12noon Tuesday 26 July, and over 10,000 people having tested positive in the last month. 

While NSW Health has officially recommended that people wear masks indoors and where people can’t social distance, experts are concerned recommendations don’t work without enforcement. 

The Rural Doctors Association of Australia (RDAA) is calling on state governments across Australia to make mask use mandatory in all public settings following increasing pressure on hospitals as B.4 and B.5 Omicron sub variant infections rise.

“Wearing a mask is such a simple and cost-effective thing to do, yet most Australians have been reluctant to do so without governments making it a requirement,” RDAA President Dr Megan Belot said.

“Most people seem happy to wear a mask but when they go out somewhere and no-one else is wearing one, it can be a little intimidating being the only person with a mask on.…We need to take peer pressure out of the equation,” she said. 

 “That’s what mandating mask-wearing will do, and there is no time to waste in implementing it.”

Last week’s National Cabinet meeting between states saw each state agreeing to the recommendation of masks, but stopping short of a mandate. 

NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant said in addition to booking in for a booster, people should exercise common sense and wear a face mask in public indoor spaces, where physical distancing cannot be maintained.

“Face masks, hand hygiene, staying home when ill, testing yourself when symptoms present, physically distancing, all these measures are not new to us,” Dr Chant said.

“Unless we pull together as one again, this new wave will hit schools and businesses hard, just like BA.1 did, which saw thousands of workers absent,” she said.

Dr Belot said that governments should step up to a more effective response to the growing spread. 

“Hospitals across Australia are groaning under the pressure brought by the thousands of COVID admissions, as well as staff shortages caused by doctors, nurses and other health professionals testing positive to COVID and subsequently needing to isolate,” Dr Belot said.

“Making mask-wearing mandatory again would at least give our health system a fighting chance and take some pressure off our hospitals.” 

According to NSW Health, studies show that face masks reduce Covid-19 cases by 53 per cent. 

In NSW, there have been 95,781 cases if Covid-19 this week and 30 deaths in the last 24 hours.