Coronavirus NSW: New rules for beaches, parks this summer

The NSW Government has released its five point plan that includes restrictions to prevent a spike in COVID cases this summer.

Keeping a “towel length” apart from beachgoers, social distancing markers at parks and diners spilling out onto the street are just some of the changes NSW residents will experience this summer.

On Monday, the NSW government announced it’s COVID Safe Summer Plan, with officials outlining the strict new rules residents will have to follow if they want to enjoy the warm weather.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the government was working with health authorities, councils and businesses to strike the right balance between keeping the state open and controlling the coronavirus.

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Premier Gladys Berejiklian said new rules will be in place this summer to ensure the risk of spreading COVID-19 is kept as low as possible. Picture: Flavio Brancaleone/NCA NewsWire

“We know the outdoors is healthy, so long as you maintain your 1.5 metre distance and we want to encourage people to have a healthy lifestyle but also always think about being COVID safe,” Ms Berejiklian said during yesterday’s press conference.

“We know how much our community loves fresh air, beaches and parklands, but we will all need to do that a bit differently this summer.”

Public Spaces Minister Rob Stokes said Australia has had an opportunity to learn “some great lessons” from how the northern hemisphere approached the summer months.

There are five main elements of NSW’s COVID safe plan for summer, with the first two points focusing on introducing new restrictions and enforcing social distancing in public spaces.

Parklands in and around Greater Sydney will have social distancing markers and beachgoers will have to keep a “towel length” between themselves and others.

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Beachgoers will have to keep a towel length between themselves and others. Picture: Jane Dempster/The Australian.

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There will also be more sets of flags set up on patrolled beaches to give people more opportunity to practice social distancing.

“We know that we are all going to be here together this summer, no one is going overseas. The great news is, we are a vast state, with incredible parklands, incredible beaches and there is room for everyone,” Mr Stokes said.

“Of course we can’t all go to the same space at the same time so the COVID Safe Summer Plan is all about trying to inform people about where the best places to go are and when they should go there.”

The third element of the plan is having a series of events throughout the summer months, which will allow people to enjoy the warm weather in an organised, safe way.

“Whatever you are into, there will be something for you to do this summer,” Mr Stokes said.

The fourth part of the strategy is to work with local businesses to encourage alfresco dining and introduce more flexibility around increasing the amount of street space used for outdoor seating.

The final element of the plan revolves around working more closely with local councils to get the message out about how people can enjoy the summer in a COVID safe way.

Mr Stokes said the aim was to get local councils to highlight public spaces that residents may not be aware of.

“We have huge amounts of open space, but often we don’t even know exactly where it is in a local community,” Mr Stokes said.

“So we’re going to shine a spotlight on all the forgotten bits of parkland right across this beautiful city.”

NSW confirmed four new coronavirus cases on Monday, with three cases detected in hotel quarantine and only one being locally acquired.

While these low numbers are promising, Ms Berejiklian warned residents not to become complacent.

“Complacency is our biggest concern. We just want people to make sure they don’t wait (to get tested). If you feel the onset of the mildest symptom, please get tested,” she said.

“What has allowed us to conquer the spread of the virus to this point in time is our high rates of testing and the expert contact tracers that have been able to follow up on every single case.

“The second we get complacent, the second the virus will beat us.”