Lismore Covid exposure causes lockdown as Richmond Valley investigated

Deputy Premier John Barilaro says he is “almost certain” communities neighbouring the Lismore council area won’t go into lockdown.

Concerns over a Covid exposure site at an Evans Head cafe are unlikely to send the Richmond Valley region into lockdown, according to Deputy Premier John Barilaro.

It comes as Lismore prepares to enter a week-long lockdown from 6pm Thursday after a person with Covid-19 attended a school and two shops in the area.

A person with Covid also visited Muzza’s Milk Bar at Evans Head on Sunday.

Mr Barilaro said the government had taken a flexible approach to lifting areas out of lockdown, and the same approach would be taken in Richmond Valley.

“We won’t panic,” he said.

“The case is in Lismore … we’ll have a look at the exposure site, we’ll see how significant that exposure site is in the Richmond Valley.

“But I’d almost be certain the Richmond Valley won’t be going into lockdown.”

Mr Barilaro said the lockdown would affect thousands of people who travelled into Lismore for work.

“They are allowed to travel into the local government area, but the stay-at-home order will apply to them once they return home,” he said.

Mr Barilaro said he was not aware of any further cases in the area and said that investigations would continue to find any further areas of exposure.

NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro provides an update on Covid-19 at a press conference. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Nikki Short

“There may be more exposures, that’s why we had no choice but to put Lismore into lockdown and we’ll have more to say as more information becomes available,” he said.

“At this stage, the community needs to remain vigilant.”

He said the border bubble would be raised as part of discussion on Thursday afternoon.

“At this stage it’s the one case, and therefore we’re on top of it early enough,” he said.

“I hope Queensland doesn’t have a kneejerk reaction and shut everything down because of this one case.”

Mr Barilaro said the government would work with Queensland Health.

“We will put everything down on the table, but we want to make sure we have all the information,” he said.

It came after NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard confirmed the lockdown decision during a Sydney press conference, which also included a lockdown for Albury in the state’s south.

“I express my sadness to the local community that, having been free for a little while, having to go back into lockdown but it is for your safety,” Mr Hazzard said.

“Health has made a decision that the period of lockdown, initially, will be seven days.

“The reason for that is trying to get a handle on what exactly is going on in those local areas.”

Mr Hazzard warned the community that the lockdown could be extended.

“We need everybody in that community with any symptoms at all to get tested,” he said.

NSW deputy chief health officer Dr Marianne Gale said the Lismore lockdown had arisen from a case “with a possible link to Sydney”.

Goonellabah Public School was closed on Wednesday afternoon after the Covid case was detected.

Dr Gael said the level of vaccine hesitancy in the area wasn’t a triggering factor for the lockdown.

“There are a suite of factors, but the main driver for that decision was the case, the school exposure and the exposure in the community,” she said.”

“If that was in another LGA, we would probably make a similar decision.

“Knowing some of the vaccine hesitancy in the area itself we would have a higher level of caution.

“We understand that there may be a segment of the population that has strong views about it, but I feel really confident that the vast majority of the population in the Lismore area and in NSW are really embracing vaccination”.

Dr Gael also confirmed positive sewage detection in Coffs Harbour.

Northern NSW Local Health District has identified venues of concern in Lismore and Evans Head associated with a confirmed case of Covid-19 in the region.

Anyone who attended the following venues at the times listed is a casual contact and must get tested and isolate until they receive a negative result.

• Evans Head – Muzza’s Milk Bar – 1/5 Oak St – Sunday September 12 – 1.15pm to 1.45pm
• Lismore – Silly Solly’s – 185 Keen St – Tuesday September 14 – 8.55am to 9am
• Lismore – Lifeline Shop, 71 Magellan St – Tuesday September 14 – 9.05am to 9.20am

NSW Health contact tracers have sent text messages to those who have checked in at the contact venues with further information.

Those directed to get tested for Covid-19 or self-isolate at any time have been asked to follow the rules given by health staff, whether or not the venue or exposure setting is listed on the NSW Health website.

Anyone with even the mildest of cold-like symptoms is urged to immediately come forward for testing and isolate until a negative result is received.

There are four testing clinics in the Lismore area:

• Lismore Base Hospital – Uralba Street, Lismore, open seven days. Appointments not required
• Lismore Sullivan Nicolaides Pathology – 62 Wyrallah Road, Shop 12, Wyrallah Road Shopping Centre, Lismore. Open Monday – Saturday, appointments not required.
• Lismore 4Cyte Pathology Drive-through Clinic – 47-49 Dawson Street, Lismore. Open Monday to Friday, appointments not required
• Southern Cross University Sullivan Nicolaides Pathology Drive-through Clinic. Military Road, Southern Cross University, East Lismore. Open Tuesday to Friday, appointments not required.

There are more than 500 Covid-19 testing locations across NSW, many of which are open seven days a week.

To find your nearest clinic visit COVID-19 testing clinics or contact your GP.