The AMA president has called for the reintroduction of mask mandates, as hospitalisations and health worker infections rise to “scary” levels.

“I don’t know how far [governments] can let the numbers go while still saying we don’t need mask mandates,” Dr Omar Khorshid said.

“Everything we’ve heard from the Federal Government and various state health ministers and premiers is that they’re not about to introduce mandates.”

But with concerns rising around the pressures on the health system, Dr Khorshid said hospitalisation numbers had become “pretty scary”.