After a backflip on “personal responsibility” from the NSW Premier, we’re waking up to reintroduced restrictions today.
From today, masks are now mandatory again in all indoor non-residential settings including hospitality and in offices unless you’re eating or drinking.
QR codes are making a comeback with checking in mandatory including for hospitality and retail from Monday.
Also from Monday hospitality venues, including pubs, clubs, restaurants and cafes will move to 1 person per 2 sqm rule indoors, with no density limit for outdoor settings.
Those restrictions will remain until Wednesday, 27 January 2022.
The NSW Government is also urging us to reduce mingling where we can including when eating and drinking, work from home where possible and hold events outside.
The NSW Government will also procure Rapid-Antigen Test kits and make them available for free to people across the State, to give additional options to people and allow those who need to get a PCR test to do so.
Premier Dominic Perrottet said these measures would help take the pressure off our health system and keep the community safe until more people could get their booster shots.
“We said we would tailor our settings as the situation evolved and these steps will help take the pressure of our health system, so the people who need care can access it,” Dominic Perrottet said.
“Our frontline health workers have done an enormous job keeping us safe over the past two years and we can’t thank them enough.”
“Vaccination remains the key to keeping people safe and out of hospital. It is vital people continue to roll up their sleeves to get vaccinated and receive their boosters.”
Health Minister Brad Hazzard thanked people for continuing to come forward in large numbers to get tested and urged everyone to follow the restrictions.
“We thank people for coming out in large numbers to get tested but we need to make sure that tests are available for people who really need it,” Brad Hazzard said.
“If you don’t have any symptoms, please don’t get a test just for the sake of it. The best thing people can do is follow the rules outlined today. The health and safety of the community continues to be the highest priority.”
Image credit: Dom Perrottet Facebook page