Need for clarification of new(?) need for facemasks

Following the communique from the NSW Department of Education last night (18 July 2021), there has been some confusion and unrest about the apparent new requirement for facemasks especially for early childhood education and care educators and teachers.

The Australian Childcare Alliance (ACA) NSW had last night raised this matter with the NSW Department of Education and had discussed it with them this morning.

From a technical requirement perspective, ACA NSW's expressed concerns as follows:

• this suggested new requirement for the early childhood education and care educators and teachers while interacting with children does not exist in the current NSW Public Health (COVID-19 Mandatory Face Coverings) Order (No 3) 2021 nor in any of the government published Amendments listed;
  
  
• the same NSW Public Health Order allows the removal of facemasks where "... clear enunciation or visibility of the person’s mouth is essential" (see Clause 5(7)(c)(ii) of the the current NSW Public Health (COVID-19 Mandatory Face Coverings) Order (No 3) 2021); and
  
  
• the same NSW Public Health Order states "... the removal of the fitted face covering is necessary for the proper provision of the goods or service" (see Clause 5(7)(f)) of the current NSW Public Health (COVID-19 Mandatory Face Coverings) Order (No 3) 2021).

Others have pointed out that facemasks can be very confronting for children and that such a requirement for facemasks on educators and teachers have not occurred in any other Australian state or territory thus far.

The NSW Department of Education has agreed to clarify this with NSW Health and may provide additional information/clarification.

It should be recognised that the wearing of facemasks is one of the primary defences against COVID-19, especially with the highly transmittable Delta variant. And hence, its use at early childhood education and care services has been to date limited to activities that do not involve children directly, as well as all interactions with parents/guardians/visitors during this lockdown.

Should you require any further information/clarification, please contact the ACA NSW team on 1300 556 330 or nsw@childcarealliance.org.au. In the meantime, all COVID related information for the early childhood education and care sector can be found via ACA NSW's COVIDwatch.

PUBLISHED: 19 JULY 2021