Greater Sydney has gone into lockdown, but what are the rules here on the Northern Rivers?

Face masks are back and anyone who has been in Greater Sydney must stay at home for the next 14 days. Police have also warned they are on patrol and will fine those caught breaking the rules.

Face masks must be worn at places such as supermarkets, shopping centres, pubs and cinemas.

Millions of people in the Greater Sydney region are in a 14-day lockdown period, with 30 new Covid cases recorded in the past 24 hours.

Although the there are no cases on the Northern Rivers, there are still rules for our area.

NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller has urged people to take the new Covid restrictions seriously.

“We are dealing with a very dangerous strain of the virus, and this outbreak may represent the biggest challenge the pandemic has thrown at us so far,” he said.

“Police will be enforcing the new public health orders like we have throughout this pandemic. “While officers will continue to adopt a fair approach and use discretion, the time for cautions is over.”

Locally, Tweed-Byron Police Acting Inspector Christopher Neaves said their officers, along with highway patrol, were conducting high visibility patrols of the shire, particularly holiday parks, accommodation and tourists areas to ensure people were complying with public health orders.

“Police are checking with accommodation providers and checking vehicle registrations for persons from Sydney hotspot LGA locations,” he said.

“If detected in our region on holiday, those persons will be issued $1000 penalty infringement notices for breaching public health order direction.”

At a Covid update this morning, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said any Queenslanders on holidays in NSW should seriously consider returning home.

“We are urging Queenslanders to not go to NSW,” she said.

“What is happening in NSW is very, very concerning.”

These are the current restrictions, which are in place until July 9:

Have you been in the Greater Sydney area?

If you have been there ‒ including the Blue Mountains, Central Coast, Wollongong and Shellharbour on or after Monday, June 21 ‒ you must stay at home for 14 days after you left Greater Sydney.

Do I have to wear a face mask?

Yes. You must wear a fitted face mask when you are in an indoor area of a non-residential premises. This includes supermarkets, shopping centres, banks, post offices, hairdressing, nail, beauty, tanning and waxing salons, spas, tattoo parlours and massage parlours, licensed venues, places of public worship, workplaces, gym classes or dance classes, theatres, cinemas, music and concert halls, stadiums, showgrounds, theme parks and racecourses.

Can I still go to Queensland?

You can still enter the Sunshine State ‒ after filling out a border declaration pass ‒ if you haven’t been in the Greater Sydney area. Visit the Queensland Government’s website for the latest updates, as advice may change.

Can I have visitors?

You can have up to five visitors at any one time; this includes children. A member of the hosting household is not counted as a visitor.

There is no daily limit to visitors to your home, so long as you do not have more than five visitors at any one time.

An overnight stay as part of a visit to someone’s house is allowed.

People who do not count as visitors to your home are people who are members of your household, working at your home, assisting in an emergency, providing care to children or vulnerable people, giving effect to arrangements for spending time with and providing contact between parents and children under 18 or between siblings, helping a person move to or from the place of residence, avoiding injury or illness, or viewing or inspecting a property for sale or lease or participating in an auction.

Can I visit a family member at an aged care facility?

All staff and visitors must wear a surgical mask. Only two visitors should be allowed each day, and visits should be in the resident’s room. No visitors are permitted from Greater Sydney.

The one person per 4 sqm rule

These capacity limits do not apply to your home, major outdoor recreation facilities (such as stadiums), entertainment facilities (such as cinemas), caravan parks and campgrounds.

Can I go to the gym?

A 20-person limit applies to classes or activities at a gym.

Dance classes, or any other activities such as a yoga class, also have a limit of 20 people.

If you are participating in a dance class or gym class, or you must wear a face mask.

Service of alcohol

You must be seated when consuming alcohol in an indoor area. This includes hospitality venues such as restaurants, pubs and clubs.

Weddings, funerals and memorial services

Dancing is allowed at weddings for the bridal party only (no more than 20 people).

Funerals are permitted provided there are no more than 100 people present, including the person conducting the service.

Theatres, cinemas, music and concert halls

The maximum number of persons at these venues is the greater of 50 per cent of the seating capacity, or one person per 4 sqm.