Millions of Sydney residents are ordered to stay home as Gladys Berejiklian brings back strict coronavirus restrictions to save Christmas after outbreak explodes with 23 new cases and hundreds of gymgoers are told to get tested
- Victoria and Queensland introduce tough new restrictions for Sydneysiders
- WA Premier Mark McGowan said hard border could return in the ‘near future’
- The Northern Beaches Covid cluster has now climbed to 41 cases on Saturday
- South Australia will keep its border with NSW open despite rise in Covid cases
- Urgent waning issued for gym-goers who attended Anytime Fitness in Avalon
Queensland and Victoria have introduced tough new restrictions for Sydneysiders less than a week before Christmas.
Anyone who has visited the Greater Sydney region and is planning to cross the border for the holiday break will now have to apply for a permit, get tested on arrival and self isolate until they are given the all-clear.
The strict new measures come after the Northern Beaches outbreak climbed by 23 cases on Saturday, including 10 from yesterday.
Testing revealed 21 of those are directly linked to the Avalon cluster, while two still remain under investigation. Infections linked to the worrying outbreak have now reached 41.
Every state and territory in Australia has enforced mandatory quarantine on travellers from the Northern Beaches hotspots as hundreds of thousands of residents from the Spit Bridge to Palm Beach have been ordered to stay at home from 5pm Saturday until midnight on Wednesday.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian and NSW Health are expected to announce the Northern Beaches cluster which now stands at 41, has not only increased but spread to other areas
QUEENSLAND:
Queensland Health Minister Yvette D’Ath said the message is ‘very clear’.
‘If you are from the Northern Beaches. Your best to stay at home reconsider your plans,’ she said.
Anyone hoping to make it north from other parts of NSW, will now require a broader pass declaration pass from 1am Sunday.
‘You will be able to go online and apply for that declaration from 8pm this evening,’ Ms D’Ath said.
‘For those people who are from the Central Coast of New South Wales or from Greater Sydney, who are coming to Queensland, upon your arrival, we are asking you to get tested, and you quarantine yourself until you get the results from those tests.
‘This is about making sure we keep all Queenslanders safe while people travel around all the Christmas holidays.’
Pictured: People are seen lining up at a pop-up COVID-19 testing facility Avalon on Sydney’s northern beaches, Saturday, December 19, 2020
Picutred: Cars drive past a Covid-19 alert sign on Mona Vale road at Belrose on Sydney’s northern beaches, Saturday, December 19, 2020
VICTORIA:
Victoria has introduced a similar a similar permit scheme.
After more than four months of lockdown, the Victorian Government is desperately trying to avoid a third wave of infections in the state.
Health Minister Martin Foley said anyone travelling from the Northern Beaches ‘red zone’ will have to undergo mandatory quarantine.
But visitors from greater Sydney region – the ‘orange zone’ – are still permitted to travel but must apply for a permit.
‘Anyone travelling from the greater Sydney region is encouraged to get tested on arrival and self-quarantine until they receive that negative test result,’ Mr Foley said.
‘My message to everyone in Victoria is don’t go to Sydney.’
So far 52,000 permits have been issued since midnight.
Those travelling from regional New South Wales – the green zone – are permitted to enter Victoria with no restrictions.