This is my latest update to provide you with information about the impact of Coronavirus (COVID-19) on our community. Yesterday the NSW Government further eased restrictions for residents of NSW, regardless of vaccination status.
I am glad that we are able to resume many of the activities we have had to forego, however, I would encourage all of you to exercise caution, get tested whenever you experience symptoms, wear a mask when you cannot social distance, and book in your booster vaccination as soon as you are eligible.
The changes include:
- Masks will only be required on public transport and planes, at airports, and for indoors front-of-house hospitality staff who are not fully vaccinated
- No density limits for all settings
- COVID safety plans will be optional for businesses.
Fully vaccinated contacts will only have to isolate until they receive a negative PCR result. However, household close contacts and close contacts in any other settings identified by NSW Health will still be required to isolate for seven days and comply with PCR testing requirements.
The full list of changes are below.
Masks and QR codes
- Masks will only be required on public transport and planes, at airports, and for indoors front-of-house hospitality staff who are not fully vaccinated. Masks will be strongly encouraged in settings where you cannot social distance.
- Masks no longer required in outdoor settings.
- COVID-19 Safe check-ins only required for hospitals, aged and disability care facilities, gyms, places of worship, funerals or memorial services, personal services (including sex services), pubs, small bars and registered clubs, nightclubs, strip clubs, sex on premises and indoor music festivals with over 1,000 people.
Visiting family and friends
- No limit to number of visitors in your home.
- No limit to number of people for outdoor public gatherings.
- All visitors to residents in aged care facilities and disability homes permitted in line with their policies.
Exercise and recreation
- No person limit in gyms, indoor recreation and sporting facilities.
- Indoor swimming pools open for all purposes.
- Community sports permitted for all staff, spectators and participants.
Schools
- Students already returned to face-to-face learning.
Shopping and personal services
- Non-critical retail reopens to all.
- No person limit for personal services (including hairdressers, spas, beauty and nail salons, tattoo and massage parlours).
- Sex services premises open.
Restaurants and hospitality
- No person limit in hospitality venues.
- Singing and dancing is permitted indoors and outdoors for all.
- Drinking indoors and outdoors may be seated or standing.
Working from home
- Employers allow staff to work from home at their discretion.
Travel and transport
- Travel between Greater Sydney and regional NSW permitted for all.
- Carpooling permitted for all.
- Caravan parks and camping grounds remain open (including for people who are not fully vaccinated).
International travel
- International travellers who are fully vaccinated must self-isolate at their home or accommodation for 72 hours after arriving in NSW and until they receive a negative test result.
- International travellers who are not fully vaccinated will need to hotel quarantine on arrival for 14 days.
Events and entertainment
- No person limit for major recreation facilities (including stadiums, theme parks and race courses), subject to 100% of fixed seated capacity.
- No person limit for entertainment facilities (including cinemas and theatres), subject to 100% of fixed seated capacity.
- No person limit for information and education facilities (including art galleries, museums and libraries).
- No person limit for outdoor public gatherings and recreation.
- Nightclubs, strip clubs and sex on premises venues open.
- Music festivals reopen with 20,000 person limit.
- Amusement centres and play centres open to all.
- Proof of vaccination only required for indoor music festivals with over 1,000 people and cruises with over 100 passengers.
Weddings and religious services
- Weddings permitted with no person limit, eating and drinking allowed while standing and dancing permitted.
- Funerals permitted with no person limit, and eating and drinking allowed while standing.
- Singing and dancing indoors permitted by all.
- Places of worship open to all.
My staff and I are here to help you. Please call my office on 9349 6007, email matt.thistlethwaite.mp@aph.gov.au or reach me via Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.
