Tuesday, December 14, 2021

COVID-19 / Australia / ‘Freedom Day’ in NSW

As Covid cases in New South Wales continue to rise, the state government has committed to its plan to lift restrictions for unvaccinated residents from tomorrow.
Today, as NSW recorded 804 new cases, the government insisted it had considered all the options but was committed to easing restrictions on Wednesday in order to return the state “back to a full life of normality”.
From Wednesday, unvaccinated people will be allowed back in pubs, cafes, gyms and shops and mask mandates will be eased.
Health authorities are battling to contain an outbreak of the Omicron variant, with a total of 85 cases now confirmed in the state.
From 15th December the following rules apply to everyone regardless of vaccination status: 
  • Masks will only be required on public transport and planes, at airports, and for indoors front-of-house hospitality staff not fully vaccinated
  • QR check-ins only required for hospitals, aged and disability care facilities, gyms, places of worship, funerals or memorial services, personal services, pubs, small bars, registered clubs, nightclubs, strip clubs, sex on premises, and indoor music festivals with over 1000 people
  • No person limit in gyms, indoor recreation and sporting facilities
  • Non-critical retail reopens to all.
  • No person limit for personal services including hairdressers, spas, beauty and nail salons, tattoo and massage parlours.
  • Employers allow staff to work from home at their discretion
  • International travellers who are not fully vaccinated still need to quarantine on arrival for 14 days.
  • 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
  • No person limit in hospitality venues.
  • Singing and dancing is permitted indoors and outdoors for all
  • Travel between Greater Sydney and regional NSW permitted for all
  • Carpooling permitted for all
  • Caravan parks and camping grounds open for all 
  • No person limit for major recreation facilities like stadiums, theme parks and race courses
  • No person limit for entertainment facilities like cinemas and theatres
  • No person limit for information and education facilities like art galleries, museums and libraries
  • No person limit for outdoor public gatherings and recreation
  • Music festivals reopen with 20,000 person limit
  • Amusement centres and play centres open to all
  • Weddings and funerals permitted with no person limit, eating and drinking allowed while standing and dancing permitted for all.
  • Singing and dancing indoors permitted by all.
  • Places of worship open to all.
This is not going to end well, I fear.

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