“I want to stress today that NSW very proudly has always managed to balance the health risk must provide security and support to our citizens, plus providing confidence to business that they keep operating in NSW. On that basis, we are keen to make sure economic activity continues.“From midnight, masks will be compulsory in certain indoor settings. We will be making sure that compliance or enforcement occurs from Monday so we will not fine you until Monday, the fine would be $200.“If you go to shopping centres, catching public transport, attending an entertainment venue like the cinema, you have to wear a mask. Places of worship, hair and beauty salons, gaming areas of establishments, staff and hospitality venues you will have to wear a mask.None of this is a surprise. We have already strongly wanted people to wear a mask but we do not want to restrict peoples ability to go about that business. But we want to increase economic activity and mask-wearing in these settings will ensure we have the confidence to do that.”Ms Berejiklian said she would go on leave next week after announcing further public health restrictions.
“We are reducing gym classes back down to 30. Currently it is at 50. At nightclubs, no surprises, you cannot dance or sing. Weddings, funerals or places of worship, we are reducing to 100 at this point in time and are subject to the four square metre rule,” she said.“We are capping weddings, funerals and places of worship and we want to prevent any super spreading event. At performances and activities, we are reducing attendance to 500 from 1000, and outdoor events down to 2,000.”“We want people in NSW to be able to go about their business as much as possible but we need to reduce or mitigate the risks in certain settings where we know there are challenges.The reason it is happening now is you want to make sure to give confidence to business and people holding down jobs that you can continue about your activity in NSW so long as you wear a mask in those indoor settings where there is a higher risk of transmission.”Lockdown will remain in the northern part of the northern beaches until January 9. If you’re in the southern part of the northern beaches you are now considered part of greater Sydney and must follow those restrictions.The SCG Test will go ahead as planned with a capacity of 50 per cent. Fans will not be required to wears masks at the event but will need to mask up on public transport on their way to and from the ground.Meanwhile, Queensland acquired one new case, a traveller returning from overseas.
Victoria health minister Martin Foley savaged two people who ignored health orders.“We are doing an extraordinary job in making sure that those people who show up unauthorised from interstate are dealt with,” Mr Foley said in a briefing on Saturday.“I did want to make particular mention of two people who absconded from discussions with authorised officers yesterday who have now apparently returned to New South Wales. Upon the advice of the public health team, those people have breached numerous orders of the public-health state of emergency inVictoria and they will each be fined at least $19,000 for their breaching of those arrangements.“This is a very serious matter.“We have established the link between New South Wales’ cluster and the outbreak in Victoria. We are determined to get on top of it and I know that requires what appears to some people to be tough measures but the virus does not respect state borders. The virus does not respect holiday periods.”
Victorian police released a statement in regard to the duo.“A man and woman that absconded from Melbourne Airport have been located in NSW this morning. Victoria Police and DHHS [department of health and human services] will jointly investigate all circumstances surrounding the incident and enforcement actions will be taken,” the statement read.COVID VARIANT FOUND IN QLDA second case of the potentially fast-spreading South African variant of COVID-19 has been detected in Queensland.Health authorities confirmed the case was in another recently returned overseas traveller.Queensland chief health officer Dr Jeannette Young said the man in his 50s had travelled from South Africa, the UK and Qatar, and was currently in hospital.“This detection further highlights the importance of our hotel quarantine policy, especially for overseas travellers,” she said.“Cases are rising at a rapid rate internationally and new variants like this one may be difficult to contain in the community. Our best approach is ensuring potential cases are detected where they pose no risk to other Queenslanders.”The diagnosis comes after a woman tested positive to the South African variant earlier this week.The announcement came as authorities also revealed COVID traces had been detected in sewage at two sites in Queensland.
Routine testing returned positive results for viral fragments in wastewater at treatment plants at Bundaberg in Wide Bay and Elanora on the Gold Coast. The samples were both collected on 30 December.Dr Young said continued positive sewage results were particularly concerning given the New South Wales cluster and new cases in Victoria.“These positive test results are concerning as they may indicate either a recovered case or undetected active cases living in or visiting the area,” she said.“It is very important that anyone in the Bundaberg and Elanora catchments who has COVID-19 symptoms, no matter how mild, comes forward for testing. If there are active cases in the area, it is important that we detect them early to prevent further transmission. It’s not just residents we want to reach, but holiday-makers as well.”Official figures show Queensland has recorded a total of 1253 COVID cases, of which 13 are active. Dr Young said she was closely monitoring the New South Wales cluster and the new Victorian cases.“While we are not changing any restrictions to New South Wales and Victoria at this stage, as we’ve seen, things can change really quickly with this virus, so I continue to urge Queenslanders travelling to these states to reassess their plans – if it is not necessary, then consider staying here,” she said.“The situation in Victoria and NSW is still very concerning. Queensland is in a good position right now because we acted quickly to declare greater Sydney a hotspot.”PM: ‘NO TICK NO JAB’, AS VICTORIANS BRING COVID TO NSWPrime Minister Scott Morrison has said the COVID-19 numbers from NSW and Victoria are “encouraging”, as NSW found two Victorians brought the illness over the border.He said to those who are frustrated, there are ways to “count our blessings” when we compare the case load in Australia to the rest of the world.He also said it was up to each state to decide on their own public health measures and border closures being put in place. While he would like to see “greater consistency” on closures, he did not criticise them for their decisions.“I want to thank people particularly in New South Wales but also for the people of Victoria for their response to the public health messaging and the controls that have been put in place,” he said.
“Especially those coming forward for testing. The record numbers we have seen come forward for testing has been extraordinary and enormously helpful for those who are doing the job to keep Australians safe both in those areas and for the benefit of the other parts of the country.“And in Victoria, we are seeing already, I think, the results of the strengthening of their tracing systems that have been put in place over many months and it has been good to see how that has swung into gear over the course of the last 24 hours or so or longer. “And we are seeing them getting on top of that information very quickly which is assisting them in managing this most recent outbreak in Victoria.”
The Chief Medical Officer, Professor Paul Kelly said the fact there is a definite genomic link between all of the clusters in Wollongong, Croydon and the Northern Beaches, as well as other parts of Sydney, was showing the testing and tracing systems were “excelling”.He said the vaccine was still on track to be delivered. Mr Morrison said they won’t be cutting corners before rolling out the vaccines.“If there’s no tick, there’s no jab. That’s got to be right for every single Australian. And so, our authorities are doing a tremendous job on this. But you need to get all the right data, and that needs to be validated, there’s the batches that also need to be tested as well, it’s not just about the initial vaccine itself, it’s actually what is distributed around the country.”It comes as NSW Health has said two Victorians have brought COVID-19 to NSW.Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant said the two cases travelled to NSW from Victoria on December 30. They had dinner at the Great Southern Hotel in Eden from 5pm-6:30pm and the venue has been contacted and contact tracing is under way.“We are asking people to get tested and isolate and public health will provide further updated advice as we understand the nature of exposures that occurred at that venue,” she said.She also said the cases ate at Bermi’s cafe in Bermagui, from 9pm-10pm on December 31.NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has said there were another three cases of COVID-19 from western Sydney, which are mystery cases with no link to the other clusters in the Northern Beaches and Croydon.Victoria recorded no new cases of coronavirus.
Victorians are rushing to the border to get home from NSW as Victoria also announced a new transit permit for those Victorians coming home from Queensland. They said they will be making arrangements for people who need to transit from NSW to other states including travellers from Queensland for example — so they can pass through NSW to get home.Victorian Health Minister Martin Foley said the five cases reported were detected from 13,108 tests. So far there have been nine locally acquired cases recorded in Victoria this past week.Mr Foley said “the New South Wales link is still our primary line of investigation for this outbreak”. He said he expects genomic sequencing data on the new cases to become available “very shortly”.“We have seen reports overnight of long lines at border entrances and we have seen Victorians understandably frustrated by that,” he said.
“Hard work from Victorian police and SES volunteers are working as hard as they can to move people through border checkpoints as quickly and as safely as possible.“We ask all motorists to be prepared for delays again and to be patient.”Victorian chief COVID-19 commander Jeroen Weimar said they have identified a closer link between the Mitcham and Mentone cases centred on the Smile Buffalo Thai Restaurant.He also urged anybody who has been to the following locations at the times to get tested and isolate for 14 days.*The Black Rock Cafe,*Smile Buffalo Thai Restaurant at Black Rock*Royal Brighton yacht club*Holy Family Parish Doveton Catholic Church*Village Cinema, Glen WaverleyMr Foley clarified rules in Victoria around mandatory mask wearing, now in force, including is now “for those Victorians undertaking beauty services in the coming days, you must wear your mask in all indoor spaces, however, masks can be removed if you are receiving a service where it is not practical for you to receive that service while wearing a mask, for example if you are receiving a facial,” he said. “For gyms, it is the same rule. You must wear your masks in all indoor spaces however if you are engaged in any indoor strenuous physical activity in that gym, you can remove that mask, for example jogging, running, cycling.”
BORDERS SHUT TO NSWIt comes as Sydneysiders have been effectively shut-out from the nation as states toughen their borders with NSW over the ongoing pre-Christmas outbreak of COVID-19 on the Northern Beaches.South Australia and Victoria announced on Thursday they will close their border with NSW as the state recorded 10 new coronavirus cases.SA said its hard border closure to NSW would come into effect as the clock ticked over into 2021.
Victorians faced a race to get home or risk getting trapped in NSW after the state declared it would shut the border from 11.59pm on January 1.It comes after new locally transmitted cases emerged in Victoria after a 61-day COVID-19 free streak.Eight cases were recorded over two days, with more than 70 close contacts in isolation.
The first three cases were all linked to a Thai restaurant where a NSW returned traveller had also been, Health Minister Martin Foley said.Western Australia has already shut its border to NSW travellers, but will also close to Victorians after the new COVID-19 cases emerged in the southeastern state.Western Australia’s acting premier Roger Cook said the state has now declared Victoria to be a medium risk as of 12.01am, January 1.This means people will not be able to enter Victoria unless they are an “exempt traveller”.There will be a list of exemptions, which will be the same as are in place for NSW. WA residents on holidays in Victoria will be “dealt with on a compassionate basis”, case-by-case.
These returning Western Australians will have to self-quarantine for 14 days when they arrive back home, and they will need to have a Day 11 COVID-19 test,” he said.Anyone who arrived in Western Australia from Victoria on or after 21 December will need to self-quarantine immediately.“They will need to be in self-quarantine for 14 days from when they arrived in Western Australia and get a COVID-19 test at any point symptoms develop,” Roger Cook said. “They will also need to present to a COVID-19 clinic for a test on Day 11.”Meanwhile, the NT declared Greater Metropolitan Sydney a COVID-19 hotspot from midnight on NYE, while Queensland is monitoring the situation.NED-1859 State of our borders
Thursday’s numerous changes mean Sydneysiders must enter mandatory quarantine in every state or territory.SOUTH AUSTRALIASA Premier Steven Marshall announced a hard border closure to NSW would come into effect on January 1, citing the “disturbing circumstances” of COVID-19 globally.He said there will be few exemptions for those returning after 12.01am on Friday, but SA residents, people permanently moving states and essential travellers will be permitted.All those groups will still need to self-isolate for 14 days.
SA Police Commissioner Grant Stevens said officers were already in place at border checkpoints.Travellers returning to the state will need to demonstrate they met the criteria upon crossing the border.“Don’t think that you can manipulate the system by travelling backwards and forwards between NSW and South Australia claiming to be a returning resident every time: it is a one time deal,” Commissioner Stevens said.He said people travelling from Queensland to South Australia must follow the most direct route through NSW and not spend “unnecessary time” interstate.
SA Chief Public Health Officer Professor Nicola Spurrier announced only two new cases from overseas travellers were in quarantine and had no connection to NSW.She urged SA residents to follow social distancing guidelines and practice good hygiene for New Year’s Eve celebrations.Mr Marshall said a 100km buffer zone will be implemented for cross-border communities, allowing people in Broken Hill and Wentworth to freely enter the state.“We’re also going to be putting some transit allowances because there are people travelling through NSW who won’t be stopping,” Mr Marshall said.Mr Marshall said border arrangements with Victoria would not change.VICTORIAHours before the state announced it would close border to all of NSW from 11.59pm on January 1, Victorians were urged to return home as soon as possible.
“This is a quickly changing situation and we don’t want you to be trapped in New South Wales,” Acting Premier Jacinta Allan said.Any Victorian arriving from NSW before the deadline needed to get tested and quarantine for 14 days, the state government said late Thursday afternoon.
On Wednesday, Victoria announced anyone who has been in the NSW regions of the Blue Mountains and Wollongong since Sunday had to return by 11.59pm on December 31.The border was already closed to those in Greater Sydney and the Central Coast.
NORTHERN TERRITORYThe NT declared Greater Metropolitan Sydney a COVID-19 hotspot from midnight on New Year’s Eve, meaning anyone travelling from there must enter quarantine.The NT had previously declared only seven Sydney suburbs hot spots.
QUEENSLANDQueensland, which had already declared Greater Sydney a hotspot, is assessing the situation as it unfolds.Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young said on Thursday she was closely monitoring the New South Wales cluster and the new Victorian cases.“I’m urging Queenslanders travelling to these states to reassess their plans – if it is not necessary, then consider staying here,” she said.“The next 24 hours are critical for Victoria and the NSW cluster is growing daily. Queensland is in a good position right now because we acted quickly to declare greater Sydney a hotspot.”
WESTERN AUSTRALIAWestern Australia has already shut its border to NSW travellers but on Thursday said it will close to Victorian travellers too.From 12.01am on January 1, only exempt Victorian travellers will be allowed into WA, while returning residents must self-isolate for two weeks.Anyone who arrived in WA from Victoria on or after December 21 must also self-quarantine for 14 days.TASMANIATasmania announced no new changes on Thursday, but has measures in place requiring travellers from Greater Sydney to quarantine.AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORYThe ACT announced no new changes on Thursday, but has measures in place requiring travellers from Greater Sydney, Wollongong and the Central Coast to quarantine.
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