Gladys Berejiklian's brilliant response to this awkward 'photo' of her

Gladys Berejiklian has had a laugh at her own expense over a photo of an anti-mask protester mistakenly identified as her.

Taking to social media platforms Twitter and Instagram, the NSW Premier shared an awkwardly mis-attributed screenshot from a 9News clip.

Vocal anti-masker and alleged COVID conspiracy theorist Joe Mekhael appears in the shot, but his name wasn't the one that flashed across the bottom of the screen.

Instead, the Premier's name appeared, causing a little confusion and a lot of laughter.

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Fortunately, Ms Berejiklian found the comedy in the mix-up, sharing it with her own clever caption.

"Too long between appointments with the beautician..." she joked on Twitter and Instagram.

Aussies were in stitches over her posts, Mel Greig replying with several laughing emojis and calling her joke the "best".

A Twitter follower wrote: "I love that you don't take yourself too seriously to not see the funny side of an obvious error."

Berejiklian has faced praise and criticism in equal measures for her handling of the coronavirus pandemic in NSW.

In response to anti-mask protesters and COVID-19 conspiracy theorists like Mekhael, she had some words of warning.

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With restrictions easing as of 12.01 this morning, Premier Gladys Berejiklian warned measures to protect public health could be re-introduced at any time — telling anti-mask protesters to look at the facts.

"You're entitled to your opinion but please don't endanger the safety of others," she said.

Earlier this week, police charged Mekhael over two organised incidents in Western Sydney earlier this month.

Police allege the Merrylands man held two protests at Parramatta Westfield on January 13 and 27, encouraging people not to wear masks while mandates were still in effect.

In footage, the 36-year-old can allegedly be heard chanting "The coronavirus is a complete fraud" and "I would rather be human than a slave".