COVID Update - New protections and compliance rules to carry NSW through to vaccination targets

The NSW Premier today announced the following in relation to COVID-19. Please see media release from The Premier, Minister for Health and Medical Research. 

In response to the evolving Delta outbreak, NSW will extend the current lockdown in Greater Sydney until the end of September, and introduce new rules targeting the local government areas of concern, where the vast majority of new cases are emerging.

NSW Health and Police have worked together to develop a set of additional COVID controls for the state to reduce transmission and ensure compliance.

Additional rules for the LGAs of concern:

From 12.01am Monday, 23 August the following additional rules will apply for residents and businesses in the LGAs of concern:

Curfews will be introduced from 9pm to 5am (except for authorised workers, emergencies or medical care) to help reduce the movement of young people;

Outdoor exercise is limited to one hour per day;

The following retail premises must close except for click and collect: garden centres and plant nurseries, office supplies, hardware and building supplies, landscaping material supplies, rural supplies, and pet supplies (tradespeople are allowed to shop in-store where relevant); and

All exams and other education or professional development related activities will move online, not including the HSC. The government will provide further information on its education plan in due course.

The following new restrictions around workplaces and authorised workers from the LGAs of concern will be introduced:

Childcare workers and disability support workers who live or work in the LGAs of concern must have their first vaccination dose by 30 August;

Authorised workers who work outside their LGA of concern are only permitted to work if rapid antigen testing is implemented at their work-site or they have had their first vaccination dose by 30 August. 

From Saturday, 28 August, authorised workers from the LGAs of concern  are required to carry a permit from Service NSW declaring that they are an authorised worker and cannot work from home; and

From Saturday, 28 August, anyone entering an LGA of concern for the purposes of work must carry a worker permit issued by Service NSW.

From 12.01am Monday, 23 August, workers from the Canterbury-Bankstown, Cumberland and Fairfield LGAs will no longer have to have been tested for COVID-19 in the previous 72 hours to work outside their LGA.

Special powers will also be given to the NSW Police Force including:

Power for the Commissioner of Police to lockdown apartment blocks while health assesses the COVID risk; 

Power for the Commissioner of Police to declare a residential premise a COVID-risk premise and require all people to present to police during compliance checks;

Powers to allow police to direct a person who has been issued with an infringement notice to return to their place of residence; and

If a person from outside an LGA of concern is found to be in an LGA of concern without a reasonable excuse, they will be fined $1000 and required to isolate at home for 14 days.

Additional measures for Greater Sydney (including regional NSW until 28 August) 

From 12.01am Monday, 23 August, the following additional rule will also be introduced for Greater Sydney (including regional NSW until 28 August):

Mask wearing will be mandatory when outside your home, except when exercising.

There have been a number of cases in Early Childhood Education and Care Services, so parents and carers across the state are strongly encouraged to keep their children at home, unless they need to be at those services.

Read the latest COVID-19 information.