‘Small Price to Pay for Your Freedoms’: State-Wide Mask Mandate in Queensland

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk gestures as she speaks during a press conference in Brisbane, Australia, on Oct.3, 2021. Dan Peled/Getty Images

Australians in the state of Queensland have been mandated to wear protective face masks for the entire Christmas and New Year period when indoors at retail stores, supermarkets, on public transport, at hospitals, and more.

The mandate comes into effect at 1 a.m. on Dec. 18 and will be in place for the entire state of Queensland, which is twice the size of Texas.