Coronavirus Australia: New restrictions for venues in NSW

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has announced new restrictions on venues after a string of outbreaks were linked to pubs, clubs and casinos.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has announced new restrictions venues after a string of COVID-19 clusters were linked to pubs, clubs and casinos.

The size of group bookings will be slashed from 20 to just 10 under the new changes and larger pubs and clubs will be limited to 300 patrons.

A marshal will also be on duty at venues to ensure a COVID-safe plan is being followed.

“If your venue has capacity for more than 250 people, there will be a full-time marshal on duty at all times to make sure the COVID-safe plans are being implemented,” Ms Berejiklian said.

“For venues that are less than 250, there will be a COVID-safe person there during the peak times when the venue is operating, and of course, the industry will be mandating taking every single person’s details and where possible I know the industry is making sure it’s done electronically to allow for clarity and legibility and good information.”

The restrictions will come into force at 12.01am on Friday.

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Premier Gladys Berejiklian is expected to announce new restrictions on pubs and clubs. Picture: Damian Shaw

NSW has recorded 13 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours.

Of these, two are returned travellers and one is a known close contact of a previous overseas case.

The ten other cases have been linked to the Crossroads Hotel in Casula.

Three of the new cases attended the venue and the other seven are close contacts of patrons.

NSW chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant said the number of cases linked to the cluster now stands at 28, with one other case under investigation.

She urged anyone who visited the hotel between July 3 and 10 to self-isolate and get tested as soon as possible.

Since 3pm yesterday another additional seven cases have been linked to the hotel cluster. These new cases will be added to tomorrow’s numbers.

The new cases include:

•A 40-year-old southwestern Sydney woman, who attended the Crossroads Hotel on July 3

•A 50-year-old Melbourne man who attended the Crossroads Hotel on July 3

•A 20-year-old southwestern Sydney woman who attended the Crossroads Hotel on July 3

•A southwestern Sydney child, who is a contact of a hotel case

•A southwestern Sydney teenager, who is a contact of a hotel case

•An 80-year-old southwestern Sydney man who is a contact of a hotel case

•A 20-year-old southwestern Sydney man who is currently being interviewed by contact tracers

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People queue up in their vehicles for a COVID-19 test at a testing station at the Crossroads Hotel. Picture: Peter Parks/AFP

A Sydney Kmart store in Casula, the same suburb as the Crossroads Hotel outbreak, has also been forced to close after a staff member tested positive.

It is understood the employee is friends with the 18-year-old worker at the Crossroads Hotel who tested positive for the virus earlier this week.

“We have been in contact with both our Kmart store and their head office and this case has been confirmed. The Kmart employee and fellow staff are now isolating,” centre management posted on Facebook.

People who were at the store on July 10 between 5pm and midnight have been asked to self-isolate and get tested if symptoms occur.

Another case visited a relative at Prestons Lodge residential aged care facility while infectious.

No other cases have been identified however as a precaution the facility is in lockdown.

One of the previously reported cases also attended the Picton Hotel and spent time in the gaming room on 4, 5, 9 and 10 July. All patrons and staff who were at the Picton Hotel on those dates are advised to self-isolate for 14 days since attending the hotel and present for testing.

Ms Berejiklian said it was “highly likely” that NSW had been exposed to underlying community transmission for weeks.

“It’s important to note that it’s highly likely, given the evolving situation in Victoria, that New South Wales was exposed to underlying community transmission from that state and the work that Health is doing, whilst it’s yet to get to that conclusion, demonstrates there is no doubt that the impact of what’s happening in Victoria has impacted New South Wales,” she said.

“And that’s why we are in a state of high alert. This is, as I said when the Victorian situation was evolving, this is a new phenomenon for our continent.”

The premier told NSW residents that “the reality is that life is not normal” and said it wouldn’t return to normal until a vaccine was available.

“Life will not be normal during the pandemic and so the question we ask in New South Wales is what can we do to reduce the risk, to reduce the spread so we continue to have a good level of activity in our community, a good level of people staying in their jobs and going about their business,” she said during the press conference.

Earlier today, Ms Berejiklian warned even more restrictions would be brought in if necessary.

“If we need to go further we will,” Ms Berejiklian told 2GB radio.

“We cannot have people mingling, we cannot have people letting their guard down and unfortunately that’s what’s happening all too frequently for our liking and the evidence shows.”