
With the parts of the Upper Hunter now in lockdown until 12:01am on the 13th we have made things easy by listing what you can can't do to stay compliant with the health order that is now in place.
Stay-at-home order for new areas of concern
To protect the people of NSW from the evolving COVID-19 outbreak, new restrictions will be introduced for Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Maitland, Port Stephens, Singleton, Dungog, Muswellbrook and Cessnock from 5pm today until 12.01am Friday 13 August.
Following updated health advice from the Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant about the growing risk to the community, stay-at-home orders will apply to all people who live in these areas, or have been there on or after 31 July 2021.
The rules for these areas are the same as those already in place across Greater Sydney, including the Central Coast.
Everyone in these areas must stay at home unless you have a reasonable excuse to leave. They also cannot have visitors in their home, except in limited circumstances. This applies to all social visits from those outside your household, including family and friends.
The reasons you may leave your home include to:
obtain food or other goods and services
- in your local government area or within 10km of your home, if reasonably practicable
- only one person per household may leave the home to obtain food or other goods and services each day (you may take a dependent person with you if that person cannot be left at home on their own).
leave home to go to work if
- you cannot reasonably work from home and
- the business is allowed to be open
leave home for education if it is not possible to do it at home, noting that schools will only be open for children of parents who cannot work from home
exercise and take outdoor recreation within your local government area or up to 10km from your home.
go out for medical or caring reasons, including for a COVID-19 test or vaccination.
Closure of retail businesses
Retail premises will be required to close (‘click and collect’, takeaway and home delivery can still operate), except for critical retail.
Masks
- Masks must be worn in all indoor areas (not including the home) and in certain outdoor settings, such as all people working outdoors or while queuing for takeaway or shopping for critical items.
- Masks do not have to be worn while travelling in a car alone or with members of your household in a car, or while exercising vigorously.
- Masks must be carried whenever a person is away from their home, even if they are not required to be wearing it.
There has just been recently released an amendment.
Please be advised the Public Health (COVID-19 Additional Restrictions for Delta Outbreak)Amendment (No 18) Order has been signed and is now available online. There are now some additions to the information I had earlier provided outline below.
A temporary exemption is in place (and attached) to allow weddings and funerals to take place in the Newcastle and Hunter region until the beginning of 8 August. After that, and until the lifting of restrictions, weddings will not be permitted and funerals will be limited to 10 mourners.
At present, residents of Greater Sydney who leave the lockdown area to attend work more than 50km from the lockdown area are required to receive a COVID test every seven days. This will not be a requirement of the workers who go more than 50km from the Newcastle and Hunter region.
The Amending Order states that these restrictions will be repealed on 13 August, as was announced earlier today.
Be advised that keep up to date with all things Covid-19 related, use the NSW Health Website.
https://www.health.nsw.gov.au
Photo Credit: commons.wikimedia