We have just concluded a phone call with the COVID hotline and in conjunction with their published material gained clarification on the announced extended restrictions with relation to classes, social distancing, and mask-wearing requirements in our classes.
From 6am Friday 23rd July some restrictions in South East Queensland are easing, others remain in place. You can read the legislation around public gatherings here. You can read the COVID Safe Checklists our venues are required to adhere to here.
Face masks
You must carry a face mask with you at all times when you are outside your home. Children under 12 are not required to wear one. There are some exceptions to wearing a face mask, a person eating, drinking or taking medicine and where visibility of the mouth is essential (among others) the covid hotline has advised that masks are to be worn when not eating and drinking.
Our students often drink for the duration of our paint or ink classes. We have gained clarification that they are not required to put their mask on if they are still drinking. That said, as this may be for an extended period, they have advised that we should encourage people to wear their masks 'between sips' but can not force them to as the rules state whilst eating and drinking masks are not required.
The present social distancing requirements
You must physically distance yourself as much as possible. This means wherever possible stay 1.5m away from people you don't live with. The 1 person per 2 square metre rule describes the maximum number of people who can occupy indoor premises at the same time - the ‘density’ of people at a restaurant or café (for which we predominantly operate).
In addition to this, businesses are being asked to encourage physical distancing of 1.5 metres to "the extent possible". Venues are required to monitor adherence to the occupant density requirement, and for each individual in the area to be able to physically distance from all others, e.g. a group should maintain appropriate physical distancing from all individuals who are not part of their group.
The covid hotline advises that we are being asked to keep people 1.5m away from each other (but groups may sit together). More specifically place tables to ensure that persons seated at different tables are 1.5 metres apart to the extent possible.
We operate in cafes and restaurants and operate ticketed events with allocated seating but are not stadium seating and seats do not have numbers, so for venues of 200sqm or less, we are permitted to have one person per 2 sqm. Groups may be seated together.