NSW COVID restrictions: What are the rules across the state?

NSW entered a snap statewide lockdown at 5pm on Saturday after recording 466 new cases of COVID-19, which continues to spread across the regions.

Deputy Premier John Barilaro took to Twitter on Saturday afternoon to say the stay-at-home orders would be introduced for all of regional NSW to “minimise movement and protect our communities from the evolving COVID situation in Sydney”.

Mr Barilaro used an online call to tell regional NSW MPs that the entire state would enter lockdown for at least seven days, an MP unauthorised to speak on the issue told the Herald.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian, who fronted the state government’s daily 11am COVID-19 update, did not mention the possibility of a statewide lockdown.

“Following the press conference today, I received health advice concerning multiple regional NSW areas,” she tweeted at 3.45pm.

“As such, from 5pm tonight, all of regional NSW will go into a seven-day lockdown. This means the whole state is in strict lockdown.”

The new order replaces existing orders in regional NSW.

So with more than 8 million people now in lockdown for a week, what does it all mean? Read on.

Visitors

People cannot have visitors in their home from outside their household, except in the limited circumstances allowed by the public health order:

• for childcare
• to give effect to new or existing arrangements for spending time with, and
• providing contact between, parents and children under the age of 18 or
• between siblings,
• to assist a person moving to or from the place of residence,
• to avoid an injury or illness or to escape a risk of harm,
• because of an emergency,
• to view or inspect real property for sale or lease or participate in an auction of real property

People can also have one visitor at one time:

• to fulfil carers’ responsibilities,
• to provide care or assistance, including personal care, to a vulnerable person,
• for compassionate reasons, including where two people are in a relationship but do not live together, and
• as the nominated visitor of an adult person who lives alone, under what is known as the singles bubble.

Shopping and exercise

The 10-kilometre rule in place in Greater Sydney will be cut to five kilometres from 12.01am on August 16. Shopping, exercise and outdoor recreation must be done in your local government area, or within five kilometres of home if leaving your LGA. In his press conference on Saturday afternoon, Deputy Premier John Barilaro indicated there would be more flexibility for people living in regional and rural areas who needed to travel further to access services.

In Saturday’s press conference, the Premier stated that the excuse to leave home for “outdoor recreation” will be removed for the affected local government areas. For those declared areas, that excuse is replaced with “supervise a child aged 12 years or under who is undertaking exercise or at play”. For the rest of NSW, “outdoor recreation” is still permitted.

Retail premises are required to close, with exceptions. Supermarkets, pharmacies, service stations, banks, post offices, newsagents, laundromats and phone repair stores can stay open. Shops that mainly sell food or drink (e.g. butchers, bakeries, bottle shops), hardware and building supplies, landscaping and gardening supplies, pet supplies, stationery, or maternity and baby supplies can stay open.

“All hospitality venues must be closed to the public, including pubs, restaurants and cafes, except for takeaway,” according to NSW Health advice.

LGAs of concern

Special rules remain in place for affected local government areas in Greater Sydney: Bayside, Blacktown, Burwood, Campbelltown, Canterbury-Bankstown, Cumberland, Fairfield, Georges River, Liverpool, Parramatta, Strathfield, and some suburbs of Penrith.

Work

Every employer across NSW must require their employees to work from home unless it is not reasonably practicable, NSW Health said, adding: “It is a reasonable excuse to leave your home for work – but only if it is not practicable to work from home.”

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Police Commissioner Mick Fuller on Saturday.Credit: Rhett Wyman

Schools

Mr Barilaro also said schools will be closed for seven days as part of the state’s snap lockdown.

“We are closing schools for the protection of our children so the schools will be closed for seven days,” he told ABC News 24. “Parents will be asked to keep children and students at home during the week, however schools will be open as per usual for those parents who work in essential services.,” Nationals MP Melinda Pavey wrote on Facebook.

Masks

NSW Health said anyone who leaves their home must carry a mask with them at all times. “They must be worn when working outdoors, by all school staff, by all people in outdoor markets, outdoor shopping strips, and in outdoor queues waiting for products such as coffee and food,” the release said.

NSW Police patrol Bondi Beach on Saturday as part of keeping COVID-19 restrictions in place.Credit: Steven Siewert

Weddings and funerals

Regional NSW residents who had weddings or funerals planned for Sunday will be able to have the ceremonies despite the state going into lockdown from 5pm on Saturday.

A NSW Health media release confirmed events may go ahead until 12.01am on Monday.

“There will be a one-day ‘grace period’ for planned weddings and funerals in the regional areas that have not already been subject to a lockdown,” the release read.

“Those events may go ahead until 12.01am on Monday, 16 August, 2021, but only with guests from areas that have not already been subject to a lockdown. From Monday, small funerals and memorial services of 10 persons only (excluding the persons conducting the service) will be permitted.”

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