Masks are now strongly recommended in all indoor settings where physical distancing cannot be maintained, like public transport and supermarkets, but Illawarra shoppers were slow on the uptake on Monday.
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At Fairy Meadow Woolworths around lunch time, a minority of customers - perhaps one in 10 of those counted by the Mercury - had donned a mask to do their shop and all but three of the staff in the store were not wearing masks.
At Wollongong Woolworths, staff did wear masks, but even fewer shoppers had taken up their advice of the NSW Premier and Chief Health Officer. The rate was slightly better at Woolworths Bulli, with about 40 per cent of people counted wearing masks at the time of the Mercury's visit.
Masks are not yet mandatory in NSW, however the messaging around whether or not you should wear them is becoming stronger.
Last week, Woolworths released a statement "strongly encouraging" people to wear masks while in its stores, and said the advice applied to staff and customers at all stores in NSW and the ACT from Monday.
And in her Monday update, Gladys Berejiklian reinforced her weekend message about the need the wear masks in certain environments.
Earlier, she and NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant said they recommended wearing a mask in indoor settings where physical distancing was hard to maintain and that masks should be worn in indoor settings with a higher risk of transmission, such as for the staff of hospitality and customer-facing venues.
Ms Berejiklian said she was so far pleased with the public's response and had witnessed many people wearing masks in supermarkets when doing her own shopping on Sunday.
"I always have a mask in my pocket," she said.
"I recommend everyone have one in their pocket or their bag, and if they feel they are in a situation where they need to wear one, they should."
Dr Chant has recommended people wear face masks "made from three layers of breathable fabric to ensure adequate protection" and wash reusable masks after each use or at least daily.
Meantime, NSW Labor Leader Jodi McKay and Labor's health spokesman Ryan Park are urging Gladys Berejiklian to make face masks compulsory on public transport, in supermarkets and shopping centres and in places of worship.
"NSW is on a knife edge," Ms McKay said.
"We can't afford to sleepwalk into a second lockdown. Gladys Berejiklian must take decisive action against the spread of COVID-19 in NSW and make masks compulsory."
"The Premier's mask recommendation isn't an instruction. It doesn't convey the severity of the situation.
Mr Park said businesses were taking the lead on face masks while the Premier issued "confusing half measures and recommendations".
"The NSW Government has extraordinary powers to issue health orders so they can act decisively and keep people safe," he said.
"The reality is, what the Premier is saying is causing confusion and that's not fair on anyone.
"We know social distancing is not possible in places like public transport, shopping centres and places of owrhsip, so let's make it a part of the health orders and end the confusion."
Kate McIlwain
For more than a decade, I've helped the Illawarra Mercury set the news agenda across the region. Currently I'm the paper's health reporter - covering the stories of Illawarra workers and residents in the wake of a global pandemic and at a time where our health systems are stretched to the limit.
For more than a decade, I've helped the Illawarra Mercury set the news agenda across the region. Currently I'm the paper's health reporter - covering the stories of Illawarra workers and residents in the wake of a global pandemic and at a time where our health systems are stretched to the limit.
