Byron Bay travellers no longer required to get tested, woman fined for not wearing mask

TRAVELLERS from the Byron Bay region are no longer required to get tested for COVID-19 when travelling to the NT while a woman has been fined for refusing to wear a mask at the Darwin Airport.

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TRAVELLERS from the Byron Bay region are no longer required to get tested for COVID-19 when travelling to the NT.

Chief Health Officer Dr Hugh Heggie revoked the testing direction for people from the Byron Shire, Ballina Shire, Tweed Shire and Lismore Local Government Areas as of 3pm Saturday.

Unless displaying COVID-19 symptoms, people who have been waiting on test results, do not need to remain in isolation any longer.

Those who have an appointment booked that is no longer required are asked to call the COVID-19 hotline to cancel it.

“Today we were able to revoke the test and isolate direction based on the intelligence provided to the Northern Territory,” Dr Hugh Heggie said.

“Personal behaviour remains our best defence against COVID-19 and I would like to thank Territorians for their vigilance in getting tested.”

It comes as a woman has been fined $4,056 for refusing to wear a mask at Darwin Airport.

The 45-year-old Victorian also claimed to police she had a medical exemption but failed to provide proof, NT Police claimed in a statement.

It is mandatory under a directive of the chief health officer to wear a mask at the airport.

Incident controller acting commander James A. O’Brien said the rule was intended to keep Territorians protected from COVID-19.

“It is a shame to see that some people disregard this direction even after multiple requests to abide by it,” Cmdr O’Brien said.

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“Putting other lives at risk is not acceptable.”

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