New rules as Tamworth to go into week-long lockdown over Covid scare

Another regional NSW town will be plunged into a week-long lockdown after an infectious woman from Newcastle travelled to the area.

Tamworth will be sent into a week-long lockdown from today after an infectious Newcastle woman travelled to the town and attended several venues.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said there currently were no known cases in Tamworth.

Lockdown will start at 5pm on Monday.

“To protect the people of NSW from the evolving COVID-19 outbreak, new restrictions will be introduced for the Tamworth Local Government Area, from 5pm today until 12.01am Tuesday 16 August,” NSW Health said in a statement.

The state’s chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant said the woman in her 50s was exposed to the virus in Newcastle before travelling to Tamworth on August 5.

Tamworth is going into lockdown. Picture: NCA Newswire /Gaye Gerard

Her movements have sparked a handful of new venue alerts.

Anyone who visited the following sites at the times listed is a close contact and must isolate for two weeks regardless of their test result.

TAMWORTH

• Inland Café, 407 Peel Street on August 5 from 9.15am to 10am
• Tudor Hotel, 327 Peel Street on August 5 from 11am to 11.40am
• Gloria Jeans Coffee, 1/369 Peel Street, August 5 from 9.15am to 9.20am

To protect the people of NSW from the evolving COVID-19 outbreak, new restrictions will be introduced for the Tamworth Local Government Area, from 5pm today until 12.01am Tuesday 16 August.

— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) August 9, 2021

• Super Vape Store, 2/411 Peel Street, August 5 from 10.55am to 11.05am
• Ampol Roadhouse Tamworth, 502 Goonoo Goonoo Road, August 5 from 12.25pm to 12.30pm

Dr Chant said the woman did not know she was infectious when she visited Tamworth.

“The person who travelled to Tamworth at the time did not know she was infectious, it was subsequent to that, that she became aware and she’s now back in Newcastle and is isolating,” she said.

“Obviously we are concerned about those exposure venues, so we need those high testing rates and obviously the action (that) is being put in place from 5pm today,” she said.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian confirmed 283 new cases. Picture: NCA Newswire /Gaye Gerard

“I would urge everyone to reconsider their movements today, we do want to make sure we've reached everyone (who went to) those venues.”

Tamworth will be under the same stay at home restrictions which were in place across Greater Sydney, the Central Coast, Armidale, Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Maitland, Port Stephens, Singleton, Dungog, Muswellbrook and Cessnock.

“We are asking people not to seek exceptions to the rules, but to ensure they comply with them so we do not see further cases of COVID-19 in the community,” NSW Health said.

This means Tamworth locals can only leave their home to buy essentials, get vaccinated, for school or work (if it can’t be done at home, to seek medical care, to provide care or to exercise.

They must wear a must indoors and carry one with them at all times.

People can exercise with one other person outdoors and can nominate a ‘singles buddy’ if they live alone.

Tamworth has been locked down for a week. Picture: Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images

Locals cannot visit each other's homes.

NSW recorded 283 new cases on Monday, including dozens who were infectious in the community.

A woman in her 90s from northern Sydney died at Greenwich Hospital on Sunday.

The Premier said the woman was in palliative care and was unvaccinated.

She said the “epicentre” of the virus continued to be Sydney’s western and southwest suburbs.