Greater Sydney residents will be subject to tightened coronavirus restrictions, including mandated face masks, from midnight as authorities attempt to control an outbreak which has spread from the Northern Beaches, across the city and into Victoria.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced the tough new rules for Sydney, Wollongong, the Central Coast and Blue Mountains as New South Wales recorded seven new Covid-19 infections on Saturday.
The premier said the new measures – which include changes to gym classes, weddings and funerals – are needed to reduce the potential transmission of coronavirus, while maintaining economic activity.
Ms Berejiklian’s updated rules have divided public opinion, with some residents supporting the fresh measures and others questioning why face masks weren’t introduced earlier.
There was also confusion as to why the premier would allow a Test match to go ahead at the Sydney Cricket Ground when battling an outbreak and announcing new restrictions.
Face masks will be mandatory in certain indoor settings, including on public transport, in Greater Sydney from midnight. Pictured: A woman in a face mask walks along George Street
Sydneysiders are seen dining on Saturday January 2 before a raft of restrictions are due to come at midnight
From midnight, it will be compulsory to wear a mask in some indoor places including shopping centres and cinemas, and on public transport – which includes trains and buses.
Residents visiting an entertainment venue, hair and beauty salons, gaming areas or places of worship will also have to follow the rules.
Hospitality staff will also have to wear a mask while serving customers.
Children aged under 12 years are not required to wear a mask, though it is strongly encouraged.
Although the mandatory face masks will come into effect over the weekend, enforcement will not begin until Monday.
Anyone caught not wearing a mask in the relevant setting can cop a $200 fine.
Gym classes have also been slashed from 50 to 30. A woman is seen at Hiscoes Gym in Sydney during the pandemic
Guests at weddings, funerals and places of worship have been reduced to 100 and are subject to the four square metre rule. Pictured: A couple get married during the coronavirus pandemic in Sydney in March
Gym classes have also been slashed from 50 to 30, while weddings, funerals and places of worship can host a maximum of 100 guests and are subject to the four square metre rule.
Outdoor performances and protests have been reduced to 500 people and controlled, outdoor gatherings – which are seated, ticketed and enclosed – are now down to 2000 people.
The changes have been met with mixed emotions in the community, with some Twitter users declaring mandatory masks should have been implemented earlier.
‘Ms Premier, how many infections could have been avoided if you mandated masks four weeks ago?’ One person wrote.
‘Too. Little. Too. Late. And now you’ve let [the virus] into Victoria again,’ another said.
Victoria re-introduced mandatory face masks indoors on Thursday after the state recorded its first locally acquired cases of coronavirus on Wednesday.
Sydneysiders in face masks (pictured) were already ahead of the new rules on Saturday as they hit the shops while covering their faces
Some Twitter users declared mandatory masks should have been implemented earlier
Victoria’s outbreak, which is directly linked to the NSW cluster, ended a 61-day streak without infections for Victoria.
Another Twitter user said they no longer supported the premier because of her newly-adopted hardline stance.
‘I voted for you but not next time. It’s a small outbreak and you are being draconian. Say bye bye,’ they wrote.
Other Greater Sydney residents commended Ms Berejiklian for looking after the community’s safety.
‘Thank you for bringing in masks,’ one person wrote to the premier on Twitter.
Hospitality staff will also have to wear a mask while serving customers. Pictured: Revellers are seen in Sydney on Thursday, ahead of New Year’s Eve celebrations
Other Greater Sydney residents commended Ms Berejiklian for looking after the community’s safety
Sydneysiders enjoy the fresh air on Saturday, the same day Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced the tightened restrictions
‘Thank you – this is the right move. Appreciate all the work being done to protect our community,’ another said.
A third wrote: ‘Thanks for keeping us safe.’
But some questioned why the cricket was subject to different rules to the rest of the city.
‘Cancel the public participation going to the cricket! What is that you don’t get about how transmissible Covid is? If infections kick off from the cricket you are finished,’ one person said.
‘I have no issues with your changes, I think wearing a mask in shopping centres is fine. But why are you allowing 20K people to gather at the cricket?’ another questioned.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian (pictured) announced the tough new rules for Sydney, Wollongong, the Central Coast and Blue Mountains as New South Wales recorded seven new Covid-19 infections on Saturday
Ms Berejiklian has defended allowing the Australia-India Test match to be played at the Sydney Cricket Ground from January 7.
At least 20,000 people are expected to attend the match each day.
‘We appreciate what people might say about us continuing to hold those events, but also consider the thousands of jobs it keeps, consider the sense of normality it gives us’, Ms Berejiklian said.
NSW Health officials, police and event organisers are conducting a ‘walk-through’ at the SCG on Saturday, where they will go over a Covid safe plan.
Ms Berejiklian said the tightened restrictions around masks should not come as a surprise to Greater Sydney residents.
‘We have already strongly wanted people to wear a mask but we do not want to restrict people’s ability to go about business,’ she said.
‘We want to increase economic activity and mask wearing in these settings will ensure we have the confidence to do that.’
NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant is seen at the daily coronavirus update on Saturday, as new coronavirus rules were introduced
Sydneysiders were seen in face masks on Saturday ahead of the mandate at midnight
Stay-at-home orders for residents north of the Narrabeen Bridge in the Northern Beaches will continue until at least January 9, while people in the southern half of the region will have the same restrictions as the rest of Greater Sydney.
Five of the new cases reported on Saturday are linked to the Berala cluster in western Sydney, one is a household contact of a previously reported case – a patient transport worker – and there is one remaining case under investigation.
There were almost 32,000 coronavirus tests conducted in the 24-hour period to 8pm on Friday.
Three cases of community transmission were reported across NSW on Friday, while the state government is still urging western Sydney residents from Greystanes, Auburn, Berala and Lidcombe with even the mildest of symptoms to get tested.
Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant said there have been a number of venues exposed to coronavirus in the western Sydney area, which is of ‘concern’ to officials.
NSW Health expanded its list of exposure sites on Friday evening, saying anyone who visited BWS in Berala between 22 and 31 December must get tested immediately and isolate.
Ms Berejiklian said the tightened restrictions around masks should not come as a surprise to Greater Sydney residents
On Saturday, health authorities revealed a positive Covid-19 case also visited an Officeworks store in Punchbowl, Sydney’s south-west, on Tuesday December 29 between 3.45pm and 4.45pm.
There is also an alert for Australian Motor Traders at Haberfield, in the inner west, for Tuesday December 29 from 4.30pm to 5pm.
Anyone who visited the Officeworks and the used car dealer during the indicated times must go for a coronavirus swab and self-isolate until receiving a negative result.
NSW Health on Saturday also identified three venues in Blacktown and one in Norwest, where attendees should monitor for coronavirus symptoms and get tested if they appear.
A general view of the BWS store at Berala in western Sydney on Saturday
Meanwhile, Victoria shut its border to NSW overnight after the decision announced on Thursday prompted a scramble for holiday-makers rushing to get home.
The ACT has also updated restrictions from midday on Saturday requiring anyone travelling to the state from a Covid-19 hotspot in NSW to provide an exemption.
People from Sydney’s Northern Beaches, Greater Sydney, the Central Coast and Wollongong will not be legally permitted to enter the ACT without a valid pass.
The Tasmanian government says NSW’s Wollongong area will join Greater Sydney as a medium-risk area, meaning arrivals from there will have to quarantine for 14 days.
Source: | This article originally belongs to Dailymail.co.uk
