Victorians should be wearing a face mask in public, according to the state branch of the Australian Medical Association.

Dr Julian Rait told Neil Mitchell it would be almost as effective as the lockdown.

“That’s based on epidemiological data,” he said.

Dr Rait, president of the Victorian branch of the AMA, said making masks mandatory would be the next step in helping Victoria stop the spread of the infection.

“I think masks are now going to become a very primary way we’re going to try and curtail the spread of this infection, particularly in health care settings,” he said.

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