Greater Sydney, the Blue Mountains, the Central Coast and Wollongong will go into a 14-day lockdown as health authorities try to regain control of a coronavirus outbreak which has ballooned to 80 cases.
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Shellharbour will also go into a 14-day lockdown despite not included in the original announcement, even despite the fact it had been included as part of greater Sydney restrictions earlier in the week..
The government has now included Shellharbour after queries from local members about the anomaly.
From 6pm on Saturday, residents in the affected areas will only be able to leave home for essential reasons, Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced after a crisis cabinet meeting.
People may only leave their homes for work, to shop for essential items, to seek medical care, or for caregiving or compassionate reasons.
"The NSW government has always prided itself on taking the expert health advice," Ms Berejiklian said.
"Even though we don't want to impose burdens unless we absolutely have to, unfortunately, this is a situation where we have to."
It comes after another 12 new cases were recorded in NSW and exposure venues spread beyond the designated hotspot areas to communities including the northern beaches and western Sydney, where people have potentially been infectious for days.
Some 29 cases were recorded in the 24 hours to 8pm on Friday, 17 of which had already been announced, taking the cluster to 80 cases.
More than half were not in isolation from the beginning of their infection period.
"What we're finding is by the time we've got to some of those cases, they've already on-transmitted," Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant said.
"That means there have been a number of people that have been infectious in the community unknowingly for a period of time."
Health Minister Brad Hazzard also pleaded for patience and co-operation as authorities determine how best to reign in the outbreak.
"The Delta variant is proving to be a very formidable foe," he said.
"No matter what defensive steps we're taking at the moment, the virus seems to understand how to counter attack."
This was NSW Health's latest guidelines issued at 2 pm today _
Following updated health advice from the Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant about the growing risk to the community, the stay-at-home orders will apply to all people in the Greater Sydney including Blue Mountains, Central Coast and Wollongong.
Everyone in Greater Sydney must stay at home unless it is for an essential reason.
The reasons you may leave your home include:
- Shopping for food or other essential goods and services;
- Medical care or compassionate needs (people can leave home to have a COVID-19 vaccination unless you have been identified as a close contact);
- Exercise outdoors in groups of 10 or fewer;
- Essential work, or education, where you cannot work or study from home.
Community sport will not be permitted during this period. Weddings will not be permitted from 11.59pm, Sunday 27 June. Funerals will be limited to one person per four square metres with a cap of 100 people, and masks must be worn indoors.
In all other parts of NSW the following restrictions will apply:
- People who have been in the Greater Sydney region (including the Blue Mountains, Central Coast and Wollongong) on or after June 21 should follow the stay-at-home orders for a period of 14 days after they left Greater Sydney.
- Visitors to households will be limited to 5 guests - including children;
- Masks will be compulsory in all indoor non-residential settings, including workplaces, and at organised outdoor events;
- Drinking while standing at indoor venues will not be allowed;
- Singing by audiences and choirs at indoor venues or by congregants at indoor places of worship will not be allowed;
- Dancing will not be allowed at indoor hospitality venues or nightclubs however, dancing is allowed at weddings for the wedding party only (no more than 20 people);
- Dance and gym classes limited to 20 per class (masks must be worn);
- The one person per four square metre rule will be re-introduced for all indoor and outdoor settings, including weddings and funerals;
- Outdoor seated, ticketed events will be limited to 50 per cent seated capacity;