Schools closed, seven new Covid-19 cases confirmed in Grafton, Kyogle, Lismore, Ballina

A Grafton and two Ballina schools have been closed after a member of their respective communities tested positive to Covid-19. It comes after seven new cases were recorded in Northern NSW.

Three Northern NSW schools in Grafton and Ballina have closed due to recent Covid-19 infections after seven new cases were reported on Saturday.

South Grafton Public School has been closed and staff and students asked to isolate after a member of its community tested positive to Covid-19.

Principal Peter Hickey posted to social media saying the closure would allow for contact tracing and cleaning.

“The safety and wellbeing of our staff and students is of paramount importance to us at all times,” his statement reads.

“As such, we will continue to work closely with NSW Health to ensure that all necessary health advice is adhered to.”

Ballina Public School has also closed and staff and students asked to isolate.

Principal Stacie Luppi confirmed the news via a social media post late on Saturday.

“NSW Health has requested anyone who has been unwell or if you develop any symptoms such as a fever, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, runny nose, loss of smell/taste, muscle/joint pains, diarrhoea, nausea/vomiting or extreme tiredness to be tested at one of the COVID-19 testing clinics,” she said.

Richmond Christian College was the third school closed on Saturday due to a positive Covid-19 case.

A post on the school’s social media said all staff and students who attended the school on Wednesday, October 6, were asked to self-isolate.

“Our school site will be non-operational at least over the weekend for the on-site attendance of students, staff and visitors to allow time for contact tracing and cleaning,” the statement reads.

It came after seven new cases of Covid-19 were reported for Northern NSW.

Northern NSW Local Health District acting chief executive Lynne Weir said three cases were in the Grafton area, two were in the Kyogle area, one in the Lismore area and one case was in the Ballina area.

She said one of the Kyogle cases was a household contact of a positive case.

The Ballina case and Lismore case were linked to known clusters.

Investigations into the sources of the other infections in Grafton and Kyogle were underway, Ms Weir said.

She said four people were being cared for in hospital and all were in a stable condition.

There have been 64 cases confirmed in Northern NSW since June 16, when the current Delta outbreak in Sydney began.

Grafton Base Hospital will offer a testing clinic at 184 Arthur Street, Grafton, from 7am to 7pm on Saturday and Sunday.

This site is open seven days a week

Venues of concern

More venues of concern associated with confirmed cases of Covid-19 have been listed for the North Coast.

The Northern NSW Local Health District notified on Saturday night of the venues in Grafton and Lismore.

In Grafton, Big W Grafton was added as a venue, on Wednesday September 29 from 9.55am to 11.40am.

The Australian Community Care Network in Grafton was also added, on Tuesday October 5 from 3.40pm to 4.10pm.

For Lismore, Big W at Lismore Square Shopping Centre was added for two dates: Friday October 1 from 11.40am to 12.10pm and Wednesday September 29, 10.40am to 10.50am.

Bunnings Lismore was also added to the list, on Sunday October 3, from 11.50am to 12.05pm.

Fundies Lismore, at 140 Keen Street, was also added on Thursday September 30, 1.35pm to 1.45pm, and on Wednesday, September 29, 4.40pm to 5.05pm.

Woolworths Lismore at Lismore Square was added for four dates: Friday October 1 from 12.15pm to 12.50pm, Wednesday September 29 from 10.35am to 10.40am, Tuesday September 28 from 12 noon to 12.15pm, and Monday September 27 11.50am to 12 noon.

In Alstonville, the Federal Hotel was cited on Sunday October 3 from 9.30pm to 10.30pm.

In Ballina, Zarraffa‘s Coffee Ballina was included on Tuesday October 5 from 4.20pm to 4.30pm.

The Northern NSW Local Health District also notified late on Friday night of the venues in Grafton, Alstonville and Lennox Head.

In Grafton, Coles South Grafton has been added as a venue, on Tuesday September 28 from 10am to 11am and 4.15 to 4.30pm.

Big W in Grafton also has been notified as a venue of concern, on Tuesday October 5 from 4.40 to 5.10pm.

📢 Attention Customers,Northern NSW Health have advised there has been a new COVID-19 exposure site identified at...

Posted by Grafton Shoppingworld on Thursday, October 7, 2021

Lennox Head also has venues of concern for the first time, with the Lennox Hotel on Sunday October 3 from 6.35 to 7pm and the Quattro Restaurant on Sunday October 3 from 7pm to 10.05pm.

Alstonville’ s Cafe 86 has been listed as a venue of concern on four separate days spanning from Friday October 1 to Tuesday October 5, as well as the Federal Hotel on Sunday October 3 from 10-30-11.30pm.

See the full list of venues of concern here.

Will lockdown end on Monday?

Stay-at-home orders are in place for Lismore LGA, Casino, and Kyogle LGA until 11 October due to an increased COVID-19 public health risk.

Everyone in these areas must stay at home unless it is for an essential reason, which includes shopping for food, medical care, getting vaccinated, compassionate needs, exercise and work or tertiary education if they can’t work or study at home.

Anyone with even the slightest symptoms should get tested as soon as they feel unwell.

There are more than 500 COVID-19 testing locations across NSW.

Find a clinic at COVID-19 testing clinics or contact your GP.

NSW Health encouraged people to get vaccinated against COVID-19 as soon as they are able to.

Find available bookings at the Australian Government’s COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic Finder (previously eligibility checker), or you can also call Health Direct on 1800 571 155 for assistance to book.

The NSW Government will ease some restrictions this Monday now that the first milestone of 70 per cent double vaccination has been reached.

With the first milestone of 70% double vaccination being reached, the NSW Government is easing a number of restrictions as part of the Reopening NSW roadmap, allowing fully vaccinated adults to enjoy more freedoms from next Monday, October 11.
Full details https://t.co/CKo9U8waFjpic.twitter.com/CYCctFXdif

— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) October 7, 2021