QR codes, masks and tests please

Published on 11 August 2021

Wear masks, check in with QR codes, get tested if you’re not well and isolate when you need to.

The Mayor of the Byron Shire, Michael Lyon, said these were the key messages for the community which is in day two of a week-long lockdown.

“I was really pleased to hear the latest update from NSW Health that, aside from the three members of a family who travelled to the Northern Rivers from Sydney recently, there are no new COVID-19 cases,” Mayor Lyon said.

“The last couple of days have had everyone on high alert when we heard that the family had been in our area since 31 July and the long queues at the testing centres are evidence of this,” he said.

“NSW Health has released information about some contact locations in Bangalow, Byron Bay and Newrybar and there will be more to come but from what I understand these people did not use QR codes and tracing their movements is taking some time.

“So while the NSW Health and the police are working on gathering information related to the three positive cases, I am asking the community to continue to step up to this pandemic challenge.

“We must all follow the Public Health Orders – for the health and safety of everyone in our community and our region.

“None of us want to be in lockdown – we all want to get back to as close to normal as we can and the only way to do this is to get through the next five days with hopefully no new COVID cases.

“Our small businesses are hurting and many people are uncertain of the future but the only way through this is to support each other,” Mayor Lyon said.

Information about COVID-19 including links to NSW Health and temporary changes to services is on Council’s website.

For media interviews contact Mayor Michael Lyon on 0435 646 365 or Annie Lewis, Media and Communications Coordinator, on 02 6626 7320.