COVID-19 Update: Victoria and Queensland on their way to the "new normal"

This is your update on COVID-19 in Australia for February 22.

Mhudumu ndani ya mgahawa anayevaa barakoa, akizungumza kwa simu

Masharti ya uvaaji wa barakoa yanabadilika nchini Australia. Sheria tofauti zita tumiwa katika majimbo na wilaya tofauti. Source: Getty Images / andresr E+

In Queensland from 6pm on Friday 4 March face masks will not be required in most settings. They will still be necessary at hospitals, residential aged care, disability accommodation, prisons, airports and on public transport and planes.
From the same date in Queensland there will be no more density and capacity limits.
From March the regular daily COVID-19 press conference held by Queensland authorities will be discontinued.
In Victoria from 11.59pm on Friday 25 February public health recommendations on working and studying from home will be removed and face mask mandates will be lifted in many settings.
Wearing face masks will still be necessary in Victoria on public transport, in taxis and rideshares, on planes and in airports and at hospitals and care facilities.
In Victorian schools masks will become optional only at secondary level. Students from year 3 and workers at early childhood centres and primary schools will still be required to wear face masks, due to lower than expected vaccination rates in children aged 5 to 11.
Face masks will also be required for people who work in Victorian hospitality and retail venues, in the court system and in justice and correctional facilities.
From next week Victorian hospitals will be able to resume all surgery.
Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt said that COVID-19 case numbers are down 90 per cent from the peak of Omicron.
Hospitalisations are less than half of what they have been and, according to Minister Hunt, due to drop further following the caseload reduction.