The NSW Government has tightened COVID-19 restrictions to take effect from Friday (24 July) as the Coronavirus pandemic enters a new phase of community transmission.
The renewed restrictions are to follow today’s (22 July) establishment of a stricter border zone, tightened permit conditions and stronger enforcement powers to restrict entry to NSW even more from Victoria.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian (pictured) said the tightening of restrictions was to reduce the risk of uncontrollable break-outs and ensure NSW stayed ‘open for business’.
“Unfortunately we must live with COVID-19 and the way it has changed our lives,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“These rules will give businesses and the community a degree of certainty into the foreseeable future, and help NSW avoid uncontrolled virus spread,” she said.
The Premier said compliance measures introduced to pubs were set to be extended to restaurants, limiting group bookings to 10 people; introducing mandatory COVID-Safe plans; and registering as a COVID-Safe business.
She said weddings and corporate events were to be limited to 150 people subject to the four square metre rule; funerals and places of worship, a limit of 100 people, also subject to the four square metre rule.
Minister for Health, Brad Hazzard said border zone residents with a permit were only able to cross into the other side of the NSW-Victorian border zone to go to work or attend an education institution if they couldn’t work or learn from home, or to obtain medical care, supplies or health services.
“On top of that, we’re strengthening the rules so the fewer people granted permits to enter NSW must now carry a copy of their permit and produce it when directed by enforcement officers,” Mr Hazzard said.
