Greater Sydney, the Blue Mountains, Central Coast and Wollongong has entered a COVID-19 lockdown for two weeks in response to a growing virus outbreak.
Four local government areas (LGAs) in Sydney had already been subjected to “stay at home orders”, but as the ultra-transmissible Delta COVID-19 variant spreads, authorities have taken more drastic action.
A swathe of new social distancing restrictions have also been imposed on regional areas in a bid to stop the virus seeding.
This is everything you need to know.
Who is locked down?
From Saturday, June 26, people in Greater Sydney, the Blue Mountains, Central Coast and Wollongong are allowed to leave their homes for only four reasons.
Those reasons are:
- Shopping for food or other essential goods and services;
- Medical care or compassionate needs (including to get a COVID-19 vaccine)
- Exercise outdoors in groups of 10 or fewer;
- Essential work, or education, where you cannot work or study from home.
At this stage, the lockdown is set to finish at 11:59pm on Friday, July 9.
It’s possible the stay-at-home orders will be extended, if NSW’s outbreak is not controlled.
Remember: people who live in, or have worked in four Sydney LGAs in the past two weeks are already subject to these conditions.
Those LGAs are:
- Woollahra
- Waverley
- Randwick
- City of Sydney
Community sport had been allowed to continue in those LGAs, but that has now been scrapped, too.
Weddings will be permitted to take place in Greater Sydney, the Blue Mountains, Central Coast and Wollongong on Saturday, June 26 and Sunday, June 27.
Funerals will be able to continue for the duration of the lockdown, however, they will be limited to 100 mourners who must abide by the 4-square-metre rule.
Anyone who has been in Greater Sydney since June 21 and has travelled to a regional area must adhere to the lockdown conditions for 14 days after they left the city.
Regional NSW COVID-19 restrictions explained
New social distancing restrictions are being imposed on regional NSW in response to the state’s growing COVID-19 outbreak.
All regional areas are affected, except the Central Coast, Blue Mountains and Wollongong — which are already subjected to a stricter lockdown.
From Saturday, June 26, until 11:59pm on Friday, July 9, the following restrictions apply in all other parts of NSW:
- Visitors to households will be limited to five guests — including children;
- Masks will be compulsory in all indoor non-residential settings, including workplaces, and at organised outdoor events;
- Drinking while standing at indoor venues will not be allowed;
- Singing by audiences and choirs at indoor venues or by congregants at indoor places of worship will not be allowed;
- Dancing will not be allowed at indoor hospitality venues or nightclubs however, dancing is allowed at weddings for the wedding party only (no more than 20 people);
- Dance and gym classes limited to 20 per class (masks must be worn);
- The one person per 4 square metre rule will be re-introduced for all indoor and outdoor settings, including weddings and funerals;
- Outdoor seated, ticketed events will be limited to 50 per cent seated capacity;
Premier Gladys Berejiklian told people in NSW not to panic buy essentials, and said they shouldn’t be scared.
She said the number of COVID-19 cases in her state would go up over the next few days.
“So I just want everybody to brace themselves and not to be scared because we’re taking the right advice, we’re doing the right things,” she said.
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