Yass, NSW locked down after just three days of eased restrictions

A region of NSW has been forced into hard lockdown only three days after being freed from coronavirus restrictions.

The New South Wales town of Yass will go back into lockdown after just three days of eased restrictions.

Yass Valley Council, an hour’s drive from Canberra, was among the regional communities that were treated to an early exit from tough lockdown restrictions on Saturday morning.

But on Monday a local case of coronavirus was confirmed and now the area will go back into lockdown.

“It‘s disappointing and frustrating, that we’ve just come out of stay-at-home orders, having to now go back into it at midnight tonight,” Yass mayor Rowena Abbey told NCA NewsWire.

“But obviously, we need to be on top of where people have potentially been and where this positive person has been, and make sure that the community stays safe.”

⚠️ STAY-AT-HOME ORDER FOR YASS VALLEY COUNCIL ⚠️

To protect the people of NSW from COVID-19, new restrictions will be introduced for the Yass Valley Council area from 12.01am Tuesday 14 September for two weeks. pic.twitter.com/HS0MdvWAzy

— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) September 13, 2021

Stay-at-home orders will be reimposed from one minute after midnight on Tuesday.

The lockdown will last for two weeks.

“A case of Covid-19 has been confirmed in the area today (Monday), following a recent positive sewage detection. Urgent investigations and contact tracing are underway,” NSW Health wrote in a statement.

“Following updated health advice from the chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant about the growing risk to the community, stay-at-home orders will apply to all people who live in the Yass Valley Council area or have been there on or after Thursday 9 September.”

Elsewhere in regional NSW, there was a close contact alert for a pub in the town of Cooma.

NSW Health announced anyone who was at the Alpine Hotel on 170 Sharp Street on September 4, between 11.52am and 12.52pm, needs to get tested and isolate until Saturday, regardless of the test result.

⚠️PUBLIC HEALTH ALERT – NEW VENUES OF CONCERN⚠️
NSW Health has been notified of new venues of concern across NSW that are associated with confirmed cases of COVID 19. pic.twitter.com/loxIm0TgDA

— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) September 13, 2021

Yass residents who were fully vaccinated got a taste of freedom on Saturday morning, when pubs and businesses were given the green light to reopen.

“It was such a good vibe, people definitely enjoyed their cold beers and it was a good atmosphere,” Australian Hotel Yass publican Emma Heiniger said.

“We’ve been very excited to have customers back in, start making a little bit of money again. But as disappointed as we are, we know it’s for the best of the community that we have to go back into lockdown.”

Under the reimposed lockdown rules, people will only be allowed to leave home for a few specific reasons.

Those include essential shopping, medical care or compassionate needs, essential work and studies, and attending a wedding or funeral of up to 11 people.

However the “picnic rule” that came into effect for fully vaccinated people on Monday will still apply.

That means those people can gather outdoor for exercise or recreation in groups of five as long as everyone is vaccinated.

Under the lockdown rules, people will need to wear masks at all times unless they‘re in their own homes, cars or while eating and drinking.

People hanging out with their “singles bubble” partner can also do so maskless.

The NSW Deputy Premier warned last Friday that regional communities like Yass could be shut down again if just a single case of coronavirus emerged locally.

“I don’t want to have to lock down regions again, but we have said if there are cases that pop up in any local government area, we will shut down those local government areas for a 14 day period,” Mr Barilaro told ABC News.

Asked if a single case would be enough to trigger a lockdown, Mr Barilaro answered “absolutely”.

“We know with (the Delta strain of coronavirus), it is transmissible and so contagious but we have no other choice but to shut down,” Mr Barilaro said.

New South Wales recorded 1257 new locally acquired cases on Monday and seven deaths.