As the day unfolded: Sydney's northern beaches COVID cluster grows by 15 as Gladys Berejiklian urges mask use

That's all the coronavirus news we have for today.

Here's a recap of what happened.

The northern beaches Avalon COVID-19 cluster continued to grow with 15 new locally acquired cases detected taking the cluster to a total of 83 cases so far.

Late this afternoon NSW Health added 23 venues across the north shore, inner west and northern beaches to the list of places that have been visited by people with confirmed cases of COVID-19. The list is now 93 venues long.

More than 38,000 people came forward for testing in the latest 24-hour reporting period, the most ever tested in NSW.

Greater Sydney residents have effectively been locked out of every state and territory.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews says he intends to adopt all recommendations of a scathing final report into the state's hotel quarantine program that identified flaws with almost every aspect of his government’s setup and oversight of the scheme.

Tomorrow we'll bring you more live coverage, with all eyes on Gladys as she delivers the latest numbers which will determine whether rules will be eased or tightened.

People at drive-through testing clinics in Sydney's inner west waited for up to four hours today, as thousands came forward to check they were clear of coronavirus before Christmas.

Although the northern beaches has been at the centre of this outbreak, one instance of transmission in Erskineville and health alerts for locations in the inner city and inner west prompted thousands of residents to the area's testing sites.

The COVID-19 testing site at Lilyfield on Monday afternoon.Credit: Photo: Steven Siewert

Nicole Moss arrived at the Roselands drive-through clinic on Monday morning to be told it was a three-to-four hour wait and she would be unable to leave once she was in the queue.

"I've had a cold for a couple of days and I have a funeral on Wednesday so I need to get a test," she said.

Read more here.

More venues on Sydney’s northern beaches, north shore and inner west have been added to the list of places visited by people with COVID-19.

There are also expanded exposure times for previously announced venues, which have been visited by confirmed cases.

Anyone who was at the following venues on the dates and times below is a close contact, and should get tested immediately and self-isolate for 14 days regardless of the result:

• Avalon Beach Surf Club - 558A Barrenjoey Road, Avalon Beach Tuesday, December 15,
  8.30am-9am

Anyone who was at the following venues on the dates and times below should get tested immediately and self-isolate until NSW Health provides further information:

• Anytime Fitness - 25-29 Turner Road, Berowra Wednesday, December 16, 5.30am-6.30am; Thursday, December 17, 5.30am-6.30am.
• Asquith Golf Course - Lord Street, Mount Colah Tuesday, December 15, 6.30am-10.30m.
• Aura Threading and Beauty - Westfield Hornsby, Shop 2067, L 2/236 Pacific Highway, Hornsby Thursday, December 17, 10am-1.20pm.
• Avalon Beach RSL - 1 Bowling Green Lane, Avalon Beach Sunday, December 13, 8.30pm-9.15pm.
• Avalon Bowling Club - 4 Bowling Green Lane, Avalon Beach Tuesday, December 15, 6pm-8.30pm.
• Avalon Recreation Centre - 59 Old Barrenjoey Road, Avalon Thursday, December 17, 11.50am-5.20pm.
• Barramee Thai Massage and Spa - 4/42-44 Barenjoey Road, Avalon Wednesday, December 16, 2pm-3.30pm.
• Bayview Golf Club - 1825 Pittwater Road, Mona Vale Monday, 7 December 11.45am-12.45pm; Tuesday, December 8, 11.45am-12.45pm; Friday, December 11, 11.45am-12.45pm.
• Bunnings - Austlink Park Niangala Cl, Belrose Thursday, December 17, 4pm-5pm.
• ChaRice Noodle Bar - 2/331-335 Barrenjoey Road, Newport Wednesday, December 16, 1pm-2.30pm.
• Coffee Brothers - 1/54-56 Darley Street, Mona Vale Saturday, December 12, 12pm-1pm.
• Coles - 381 Barrenjoey Road, Newport Friday, December 18, 9am-10am.
• Dan Murphy's - 25-29 Park Street, Mona Vale Thursday, December 17, 5pm-6pm.
• KFC Mona Vale - 1B Ponderosa Parade, Warriewood Friday, December 18, 12pm-1pm.
• Kirribilli Hotel - 35-37 Broughton Street, Milsons Point Thursday, December 17, 12.45pm-3pm.
• Lovat Restaurant - 316-324 Barrenjoey Road, Newport Friday, December 11, 6.30pm-8.30pm.
• Macquarie Shopping Centre (various) - Cnr Herring and Waterloo roads, Macquarie Park Sunday, December 13, 11am-1pm.
• Mr Green & Co North Sydney - 1/66 Berry Street, North Sydney Wednesday, December 16,
  1pm-2pm.
• Nourished Cafe and Lounge - 17 Avalon Parade, Avalon Beach Sunday, December 13,
  10am-11am.

Anyone who attended the following venues at the following times is considered a casual contact, should get tested as soon as possible and isolate until a negative result is received:

• Chillbar - 74 Old Barrenjoey Road, Avalon Beach Monday, December 14, 10.30am-11.30am; Wednesday, December 16, 10.30am-11.30am.
• Olivers Pie - 1 Careel Head Road, Avalon Beach Monday, December 14, 9am-9.15am.
• Cortex Gym, Strength and Conditioning Class - 1 Bowden Street, Alexandria Tuesday, December 15.
• Northern Beaches Indoor Sports Centre - 14 Jackson Road, Warriewood Tuesday, December 15, 6.30pm-9.30pm.

There are more than 300 COVID-19 testing locations across NSW, many of which are open seven days a week. To find your nearest clinic visit.

The COVID-19 pandemic has contributed to a 20 per cent increase in calls to Lifeline, and chairman John Brogden is warning Christmas will be particularly tough for many people.

The crisis support service is expecting calls to increase by as much as 40 per cent this Christmas, with more than 3500 calls expected on Christmas Day. About half those who have contacted the service this year have talked about the impact of COVID-19.

Sydney's Dee Why beach on Saturday. Many people's Christmas plans have been thrown into disarray by the pandemic.Credit: James Brickwood

Mr Brogden said border closures around the country would bring a very sad end to the year for many who were looking forward to joining family in other states.

"It's going to hit people hard," he said. "We anticipate a very heavy Christmas Day in particular with people who will be isolated and very lonely."

Read more here.

Australians drove about 1500 kilometres less in 2020 than two years ago due to natural disasters and COVID-19, Australian Bureau of Statistics data released today shows.

The average distance travelled by passenger vehicles in Australia fell to 11,100 kilometres, down from 12,600 kilometres in 2018, Rob Walter, director of Physical Environment Statistical Solutions said.

Road-train driver Rick McQuade returns to his truck on the South Australia-Victoria border after submitting to another of his weekly COVID-19 tests. Credit: Photo by Tony Wright

“During the periods of floods, bushfires and COVID-19, passenger vehicle usage across Australia decreased markedly," Mr Walter said. “When we compare the July to October period of 2019 with the March to June period of 2020, we see an unprecedented 26.1 per cent fall in the distance driven by Australians.

"Road freight grew to more than 223 billion tonne-kilometres with Australia’s 4 million freight vehicles continuing to criss-cross our nation’s highways, even when the rest of us couldn’t.”

There are new rules for NSW residents wanting to travel interstate with varying restrictions either already in place or beginning soon.

From midnight tonight, people who have been in the northern beaches since December 11 will not be permitted entry to South Australia.

Police stop motorists travelling from NSW at a checkpoint in Wodonga on the Victoria-NSW borderCredit: Justin McManus

Victoria has closed the border to residents of Greater Sydney and the Central Coast, and will establish police checkpoints along the southern side of the border.

From midnight on Saturday, anyone who travels from Sydney to Tasmania will have to quarantine for 14 days, either at home or at their own cost in a government facility.

Read more here.

Epidemiologists have urged Sydneysiders to wear masks and avoid high-risk areas, even as the state government refrains from putting such rules in place.

ANU Associate Professor Senjaya Senanayake, an infectious diseases physician, said masks should be made mandatory in Sydney in indoor areas and on public transport.

"It think that's really a no brainer now," he said. "If [the government] thinks it's an important measure they should make it mandatory."

Four people caught the virus at a Turramurra hair salon, one at an Erskineville pub and additional cases were linked to a CBD workplace, Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant confirmed today.

"If they identify more cases outside [the northern beaches], that's more of a worry than having it all in the area they've locked down," said Dr Fiona Stanaway, a clinical epidemiologist at the University of Sydney School of Public Health, noting it would take "several weeks" to confirm the cluster had been contained.

Read more here.

Northern beaches residents have now recorded more COVID-19 infections than any other area of NSW adding more than 30 cases in the past few days, taking their count past Waverley, where the first wave of the pandemic left the Bondi area with more than 200 infections.

There have been 246 people who live on the northern beaches test positive for COVID-19 up to December 20. Sydney city residents have recorded 203 positive tests and 220 Waverley residents have also tested positive.

Yesterday, NSW residents submitted to more COVID-19 testing than ever before, with 38,578 tests reported up to 8pm last night, 10,000 more than in the previous 24 hours.

People waited in lines stretching hundreds of metres at some locations as NSW Health reported 15 new cases all of which were linked to the Avalon cluster, which has now reached 83.

There are more than 300 COVID-19 testing locations across NSW, many of which are open seven days a week. To find your nearest clinic visit COVID-19 testing clinics or contact your GP.

Anyone in NSW with even the mildest symptoms, such as headache, fatigue, cough, sore throat or runny nose, is urged to come forward immediately for testing, then isolate until they receive a negative result.

It should be the most wonderful, twinkliest time of the year. Instead, the Christmas break we’d all hoped for is turning out to be very different.

Domestic and international border closures have forced family reunions to be cancelled, and many Australians will be spending this holiday period alone.

For those separated from loved ones, Christmas can feel simply like a time to endure. Psychologist Christine Bagley-Jones says demand for her services always ramps up during the festive season.

While some people will be on their own, others also feel lonely in a crowd – especially if they spend Christmas Day with people they have fraught relationships with, she says.

A Christmas tree at Federation Square in Melbourne today. Credit: Picture: Wayne Taylor

Dr Katie Greenaway, a senior lecturer in social psychology at Melbourne University, believes that, while we’ve all had to get used to more time on our own during 2020, this Christmas may be tricky.

The first thing to do is focus on your emotional state, and try not to ruminate or dwell on feelings of loneliness or sadness, Dr Greenaway says.

“Distraction is a really good strategy in the short term to stop you dwelling on your emotions, so watching a bad holiday movie or going out and doing some exercise ... or taking up that knitting you put aside when the first lockdown ended,” she says.

Another tip is to try to reframe the situation. “Maybe it’s an opportunity to have a virtual Christmas with people you can’t be with, in person, or a chance to have an awesome Christmas with some other people who don’t have other folks around.”

Read more here

Queensland's Health Minister Yvette D'Ath has confirmed the earliest the state will reopen to Greater Sydney will be January 8, depending on all community transmission cases in NSW being confirmed as linked.

A "re-evaluation of the situation" will then take place, she said.

"We can advise that we will not be reopening back to the Northern Beaches or Greater Sydney before the 8th of January," Ms D'Ath said.

"On the 8th of January, we will review, but the 8th of January is 28 days from an unlinked case back to 11th of December."