Tasmanian families should consider holding Christmas events outdoors and wear masks if vulnerable people - such as the elderly or immunocompromised - are likely to attend and COVID-19 is spreading, Tasmania's Public Health director says.
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There was a likelihood that community transmission of COVID could occur within the nine days before Christmas, and Dr Mark Veitch said it would be important to take precautions in social settings.
A case of COVID arrived in Tasmania on one of the first flights after the borders reopened on Wednesday, when a man in his 20s tested positive after arriving in Hobart from Sydney at 8.30am.
The vaccinated man had tested negative before departing - as required - but was contacted by NSW Health due to being at a venue in Newcastle where multiple cases had been detected. He then tested positive on Wednesday evening and is isolating, with close contacts identified.
Several risk factors remain in family settings should community transmission occur: unvaccinated children aged 11 and under spreading the virus, and the Omicron variant spreading faster than previous variants.
Vaccinations have also shown to be less effective at preventing infection, although they appear to remain effective at preventing hospitalisation. Those with the booster shot are far better protected.
Dr Veitch said it meant precautions should be considered at Christmas time.
"[They] should take pragmatic measures if there's a cluster of cases in your family circles, and perhaps it's wise to avoid contact with people who you know are cases or contacts," he said.
"Even though I've said that mask recommendations are principally focusing on people in public indoor settings, if [it's] a modest sized COVID-safe family gathering and you've got vulnerable grandparents or other family members who are vulnerable, it's kind of sensible to make sure that nobody who is ill goes to your Christmas gatherings.
"Try and hold them outdoors where the environment is safer, and you might choose to wear a mask within your family in those situations, for that short time if you've got vulnerable people in there."
Masks are recommended in any setting in Tasmania where social distancing cannot occur, but specific mask mandates only apply in aged care and health settings.
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