State moves to scrap annoying rule

Acting Premier Roger Cook told reporters on Friday that there were six new cases overnight — three interstate and three international arrivals, who were all in quarantine.

Regarding the Hyatt Hotel quarantine security guard and his household contact, 23 close contacts had been identified and the majority had tested negative.

“Importantly, all their work colleagues have tested negative,” Mr Cook said.

However, genomic sequencing confirmed the guard had the Omicron variant.

“It means in turn, his household contact is the first local locally acquired transmission case of Omicron in the community,” Mr Cook said.

“While this is undoubtedly concerning, I want to assure everyone there was only a short time that the household contact could have potentially been infectious in the community.”

Investigations are still ongoing into how the guard contracted the virus.

“This particular security guard had a concierge role in the lobby area,” Mr Cook said.

“At this stage, there is nothing to suggest the guard was doing anything wrong.”

Regarding the case of the Pan Pacific hotel quarantine security guard, all close contacts and casual contacts remain negative, with close contacts in quarantine.

There have been no new cases linked to the backpacker cluster for the past two days.

“However, we can expect that we will continue to see some cases pop up over the coming days, most likely, among those who are already in quarantine linked to the backpack cluster,” Mr Cook said.

“But we are confident that this can be contained through our contact tracing efforts.

“The two Omicron security guard events appear to be contained as well.”

Some restrictions, including the use of masks, was introduced just before Christmas after a French backpacker who arrived in WA from Queensland spread the Delta strain of the virus.

“Overwhelmingly, everyone did the right thing,” Mr Cook said.

It means that from 6pm on Friday, masks will no longer be required for indoor venues or other outdoor major events where it was mandated, such as music festivals.

Masks will only be required in vulnerable settings, such as aged care, disability and hospitals, as well as on public transport, taxis and ride-share vehicles.

“So please, keep a mask at hand just in case,” Mr Cook said.

“We are able to cautiously ease these mask mandates because of the proof of vaccination requirements that are now in place for higher risk venues and events, such as nightclubs, larger venues, music festivals and major events.”

WA now has a first dose rate of 93.5 per cent and the second jab rate is approaching 90 per cent. The third dose rate is at 12.2 per cent.

The full list of exposure sites can be found here.

Originally published as Masks dumped in most settings as WA records no new cases of Covid