Covid-19 Minister moves to make masks mandatory on Auckland public transport, all planes

Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins will be taking a paper to Cabinet next week for sign off.

Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins is moving to make mask wearing on public transport in Auckland mandatory.

It would also include wearing masks on domestic aircraft - all over New Zealand, not just to and from Auckland. 

Hipkins said he will be taking a paper to Cabinet for sign-off next week.

"We're always reviewing our settings," Hipkins said. "We're not making further changes.

When asked why Auckland was the only area where masks could be compulsory on public transport, Hipkins said "we will be looking at other areas".

Hipkins said they were asking people to wear masks on public transport and planes now, but it was not yet a legal requirement. 

On how long a legal enforcement on mask wearing would last, Hipkins said it would be "enduring"

"It will be ongoing, nothing is ever permanent," he added. 

1 NEWS political editor Jess Mutch McKay explains what the process will be from here.

It comes as Auckland remains at Alert Level 1, after a positive community case was detected in Auckland CBD yesterday.

In a press conference this afternoon, Director of Public Health Caroline McElnay said genomic sequencing shows that case has been directily linked to the recent case of a defence worker at the Jett Park Motel.

McElnay said they are now asking if anyone was in Auckland CBD at locations of interests, that those people get tested for Covid-19, even if they do not have symptoms. 

On the events that would be going ahead in Auckland this weekend, Hipkins said it would be "sensible" if people wore a mask if they were socialising with people they don’t know. 

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