Coronavirus: Cumberland Council reviews public events, staff leave
A western Sydney council is reviewing whether to close libraries and childcare centres as well as public events as it deals with the coronavirus.
Parramatta
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Cumberland Council is reviewing its lineup of public events, services and citizenship ceremonies as it deals with the coronavirus.
This includes monthly citizenship ceremonies that draw up to 260 people to presentations.
“First and foremost we want to take a common sense approach,’’ Mayor Steve Christou said.
“The concern is when we’re having such a mass gathering, we don’t know where these individuals have been. There’s hand shaking, there’s photos where people are close to each other.’’
Public events will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis and could include small gatherings or crowd pullers such as the Ramadan Street Food Festival in Auburn on May 9.
The council has not yet shut services such as libraries and childcare centres but the mayor and directors assess the prospects each morning.
The council is also advising “under 10” of its employees who have just returned from overseas not to go to work following the Federal Government’s rules requiring self-isolation for 14 days.
“We have a number of staff who are overseas or have recently returned from travel and will be required to follow the Federal Government’s self-quarantine rules to limit the spread of coronavirus,” Cr Christou said.
“It’s absolutely vital that we ensure the health and wellbeing of our staff and the wider community during this outbreak.”
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The council has offered special leave if they do not have sufficient leave to cover the self-isolation period of 14 days.
“We understand that not all staff will have access to sufficient leave to cover this period of self-quarantine so effective immediately, anyone who is required to self-quarantine will be granted up to 10 days (two work weeks) special leave to cover their wages,’’ Cr Christou said.
“Additionally, all casual staff required to self-quarantine will be paid ordinary wages for any shifts they would have been rostered on for up to 10 days to cover the isolation period.”