Greater Sydney lockdown extended until end of September, full list of new rules explained
The lockdown imposed on millions across Greater Sydney has been extended by another month at least, with new rules now imposed.
The lockdown imposed on millions of residents across Greater Sydney has been extended by another month and residents across all of greater Sydney will be required to wear a mask while outdoors.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced the strict stay-at-home orders would be in place until the end of September at least after the state recorded 642 new infections on Friday.
Mask wearing will be mandatory across the city when outside your home except when exercising, while a host of new measures will be imposed on Local Government Areas of concern.
The Premier said authorities were forced to ramp up restrictions due to younger residents failing to comply with health directions.
Additional rules for 12 LGAs from 12.01 Monday:
- A curfew will be imposed from 9pm to 5am which authorities said would “help reduce the movement of young people”.
- Outdoor exercise will be reduced to one hour per day.
- All school exams or professional development related activities will be moved to online, except for those doing their HSC.
- The following retail venues must close except for click and collect: garden centres and plant nurseries, office supplies, hardware and building supplies, landscaping material supplies, rural supplies, and pet supplies.
NSW Police will also be given special powers to lockdown entire apartment complexes amid threats of Covid-19 infections.
The twelve LGAs of concern are Bayside, Blacktown, Burwood, Campbelltown, Canterbury-Bankstown, Cumberland, Fairfield, Georges River, Liverpool, Parramatta, Penrith and Strathfield.
By August 30, childcare workers and disability support workers who live or work in the LGAs of concern must have had their first vaccination dose, while those who work outside these areas will only be permitted to work if rapid antigen testing is implemented at their worksite or they have received at least one dose.
From August 28, authorised workers within these areas of concern will be required to carry a permit from Service NSW declaring that they are an authorised worker and cannot work from home.
The lockdown extension will be focused on greater Sydney and does not include Shellharbour and the Central Coast, which are now considered regional areas.
Chief health officer Kerry Chant said she “strongly supports this comprehensive bundle of new measures” in reaction to the escalation of the crisis plaguing the state.
“We needed these measures to slow the growth of this escalating outbreak, and give us time to vaccinate our population, to save lives and prevent hospitalisation.”
Ms Berejiklian said the ramping up of rules imposed on Sydney was based on soaring case numbers amid a grilling from reporters on Friday as to why it took so long to implement the tough new measures.
“In addition to feedback from police about compliance, it was heartbreaking to hear that on consecutive days a couple of hundred people did not have a reasonable reason for being out of the house and moving around the community,” she said.
“That is a concern.”
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