Police enforcement efforts have stepped up across Sydney and NSW after Premier Gladys Berejiklian extended lockdowns and brought in tighter Covid restrictions. NSW recorded 644 new Covid cases and four deaths. Read Friday's live blog.
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Police compliance operations across the NSW have stepped up, and Bunnings has announced the closure of its hardware, homegoods and gardening stores, after Covid regulations across the state were tightened up.
For the first time the NSW Government will impose a curfew on LGAs of concern in Sydney as the greater Sydney lockdown is extended until the end of September.
It comes as NSW recorded 644 new Covid cases and four deaths, with at least 41 people infectious while in the community.
The curfew will be in place from 9pm to 5am in the LGAs of concern, with exceptions for critical workers. Outdoor exercise will now be limited to one hour a day in those LGAs.
Garden centres, office supply stores, hardware stores and pet supply stores must close except for click and collect in those areas.
Childcare workers and disability support workers who live or work in the areas of concern must have their first vaccine dose by August 30.
Authorised workers from the LGAs who work outside their area can only work if they get their first jab by the 30th of August, or if their workplace has rapid antigen testing.
From next Saturday authorised workers from the areas of concern, or those entering to work will also need a permit.
Follow our live blog.
Ferncourt Public School in Marrickville was closed after a member of school community tested positive to COVID-19.
"Students and staff identified as close contacts have been notified and asked to self-isolate for the required period and follow the NSW health advice and protocols," a NSW Department of Education spokesman said.
"The school has been thoroughly cleaned and the school will reopen on Monday, August 23 for any child who is unable to learn from home. "
The mayor of one of Sydney's areas of concern has described today's increased restrictions and curfews as another blow to the community and called for more direct support from the NSW Government to assist residents struggling with bills.
Cumberland City Council Mayor Steve Christou said the mental and financial health of the community in his area was suffering.
"In many instances, these extended lockdowns have destroyed families and killed businesses. Our community is reeling and has been brought to its knees.
"Everyday Council is inundated with phone calls from residents pleading for assistance. They cannot afford to pay their mortgage, rent, bills or put food on the table to feed their kids."
He said council staff and councillors had been purchasing essential items to assist residents in need.
"We are doing our best to provide assistance and relief to our communities, and in return we need direct support from the NSW Government.
"Councils play a vital role in providing services. In this time of need, the state government needs to be working with the local councils."
Australians who test positive to Covid-19 and are at risk of being admitted to hospital will soon have access to a new drug to prevent virus symptoms from worsening.
Australia’s medical regulator, Therapeutic Goods Administration, on Friday granted provisional approval for the use of antibody treatment drug sotrovimab.
Earlier this month, Health Minister Greg Hunt announced the government had secured an initial allocation of more than 7700 doses of the drug for the National Medical Stockpile.
According to the government, the new treatment can reduce hospitalisation or death by up to 79 per cent in adults with mild to moderate Covid-19.
The treatment is administered through an IV infusion in a healthcare facility.
Bunnings has announced it will close all its store across Greater Sydney to customers and not just in hotspot LGAs.
The hardware store and other major retailers are being forced to close their doors as harsher restrictions were announced as part of Sydney’s lockdown.
The new rules apply to Sydney’s 12 local government areas of concern, with retailers such as Officeworks and Bunnings being ordered to close their stores and only offer click and collect from Monday, August 23.
But Bunnings has gone one step further, announcing it will close all stores in Great Sydney to make it easier for their team and to reduce travel between LGAs.
Trade customers can continue to access Bunnings stores, while retail customers will be able to purchase items online using click and deliver and contactless drive and collect, said Mike Schneider, Bunnings manager director.
“Since the outset of the pandemic, we’ve continued to follow government health advice in each of the states and territories where we operate,” he said.
“With the new restrictions on retail spanning a large part of Sydney, Bunnings has made the decision to temporarily close all its stores across Greater Sydney to the general public. This is in support of the government and for the safety and security of team members, customers and the community.
“We know from experience that applying a consistent approach across a metropolitan area is easier for our team to manage and helps reduce travel by residents between LGAs.”
An unvaccinated agency worker at a western Sydney home has tested positive for Covid, plunging residents into lockdown. It comes as new figures show the virus in at least 17 homes.
It comes as the residence manager quit as residents were plunged into quarantine this week.
Arcare Oatlands confirmed an “agency team member” who was booked in for their first dose of a vaccine tested positive to the virus this past weekend but had no symptoms while working with residents.
For more on this story, click here.
Tough new restrictions on who can leave greater Sydney are about to come into force.
People wanting to leave greater Sydney for some areas of regional NSW will need a permit from Saturday under tough new restrictions to curb the spread of the deadly Delta outbreak.
There's also curfews, an exercise limit and harsh new penalties for rulebreakers.
For more on this story, click here.
People planning to attend Saturday’s anti-lockdown protests have been warned their actions could lead to even tougher restrictions as authorities plead for them to stay home.
NSW Police Minister David Elliott said any gatherings would “most likely prolong the very lockdowns you want to be rid of”.
“These are the darkest days the people of NSW have faced in nearly a century,” he said.
“But the continued high rate of vaccinations means that at least we can see the pathway the community can take in order to return to normal life.
”Unfortunately, that pathway includes a number of tough obstacles.
“A restriction of public gatherings is one of them.
“Those who attend tomorrow’s protest need to know they are part of the problem, not the solution.
“So for the sake of humanity, please consider your actions.
“Not only will you face the full force of the NSW Police, but you will endanger your loved ones and, most likely, prolong the very lockdowns you want to be rid of.
“Rest assured that every single person who joins the police, and the ADF, wants to protect freedom and will continue to work in these very uncertain times until all our freedoms are returned.”
The lockdown on the Katherine area of the NT will lift today after no new cases were found during the 24-hour extension.
So far, the NT has escaped any community transmission after an infected worker travelled from Sydney to Darwin via Canberra and was infectious in the community for several days.
Health Minister Natasha Fyles said one in eight Katherine residents had been tested, and no further traces of Covid-19 had been detected in wastewater in either Darwin or the Katherine region.
"I would just like to acknowledge the people of Katherine, they have had an outstanding testing regimen, one in eight residents, has been tested and that is fantastic, and that extra 24 hours getting that wastewater, getting those testing results, gives us confidence going forward, but we’re not out of the woods, so people do need to remain vigilant,” Ms Fyles said.
Katherine is now subject to the same restrictions as Darwin, which include:
Scott Morrison said it is "common sense" to give vaccinated people more freedom once the 70 percent and 80 percent population targets are reached later this year.
"It only stands to reason, to common sense, that in a situation where we have reached threshold levels of vaccination at 70% and 80% is the science shows us, we can safely move into a period where if you are vaccinated then you can be exempted from various restrictions that may still more broadly remain in place," Mr Morrison said this afternoon.
"It is only reasonable that people who have been doing the right thing and responding to the call,
persevering (receive more freedom)."
Mr Morrison added that QR codes, contact tracing and testing would still remain "part of our future" for some time yet.
The 70 to 80 percent vax targets set out in the Doherty report will not include 12 to 15 year-olds, the prime minister has said.
Scott Morrison said because "definitive medical advice" had not yet been given by ATAGI, it wouldn't be added in.
He said the medical body would have recommendations on 12 to 15 year-olds being vaccinated in "another week or so".
"The planning of how it needs to be done for a youth vaccination program across the country is one that both (Lieutenant General John Frewen) and his counterparts at the state and territory level have been working on now for some time and we need to run that in parallel, of course, with the National vaccination program," Mr Morrison said.
" The best way right now for you to protect your children from contracting COVID-19 is to ensure that you are vaccinated."
Covid cases are on the rise in NSW, and the true toll of the virus this year has been revealed, with almost 4000 Australians dying from the virus in 2023.
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