COVID-19 update

Currently, 18/10/2020, the following is allowed:

Recent changes

The following changes take effect on Friday 16 October.

Outdoor music rehearsals and performances

A music rehearsal or performance of up to 500 people may be held in an outdoor public place. The organiser must complete and register a COVID-19 Safety Plan.

Hospitality venues

Hospitality venues are encouraged to use electronic entry recording for recordkeeping.

Venues that use electronic systems for registering contact details may apply the one person per 2 square metre rule for outdoor areas, subject to maximum capacity limits.

All premises must have a COVID-19 Safety Plan.

Corporate events, weddings, funerals and religious services

Significant events held at hospitality venues that use electronic systems for registering contact details may apply the one person per 2 square metre rule for outdoor areas.

All events must have a COVID-19 Safety Plan and provided there is sufficient space at the venue, the maximum capacity for these events is still

300 people for corporate events

150 people for weddings

100 people for funerals and religious services.

Travellers arriving from New Zealand

From Friday 16 October, you do not need to enter mandatory quarantine when you fly from New Zealand into NSW, if you have not been in a New Zealand COVID-19 hotspot in the past 14 days.

For details please head over to the NSW Gov COVID-19 Site.

Updated: Sunday, 18 October 2020

From Monday 1June, the following is allowed:

  • Upcoming changes

  • travel to regional NSW for a holiday

  • visits to museums, galleries and libraries

  • pubs, clubs, cafes and restaurants can have up to 50 customers

  • beauty and nail salon operators can begin treatments under strict COVID-safe guidelines.

Rules that continue to apply include

  • the 4 square metre rule

  • physical distancing

  • hygiene and safety requirements for businesses.

Read FAQs on what has changed.

Updated: Wednesday, 27 May 2020

From Friday 15 May, the following is allowed:

    • public gatherings of up to 10 people

    • food and drink premises can open, but only to seat a maximum of 10 customers at any one time – this includes cafes and restaurants, a restaurant within a registered club or pub, or a cellar door that serves food

    • up to 5 visitors may visit another household at any one time

    • weddings can have up to 10 guests plus the people conducting or assisting in the conduct of the service, a photographer, a videographer, and the couple

    • indoor funerals and memorial services can have up to 20 mourners and outdoor funerals up to 30 mourners

    • religious gatherings and places of worship can have up to 10 worshippers

    • outdoor playground and exercise equipment can be used with caution

    • outdoor pools can open with restrictions.

Read FAQs on what has changed.

Updated: Monday, 21 May 2020

Visiting other people at home

From Friday 1 May, two adults (and any dependant children) can visit another person's home to provide care or support.

It is now a reasonable excuse for a person to visit another person’s place of residence to provide care or support to that other person, but only if there are no more than two visitors (the ‘two visitor rule’). A visitor does not include a member of the household being visited, a child of a visitor (under 18), or any person who otherwise has a reasonable excuse to be at the residence (eg a person there for work such as a tradesperson). Providing care or support includes providing care or support for the mental, physical or emotional health or well-being of the other person.

Additionally, an exemption has been granted to allow spas, nail salons, beauty salons, waxing salons and tanning salons to open, but only for the purposes of selling goods and gift vouchers. No services can be provided. Business owners must comply with the 4sqm rule & have hand sanitiser for customers.

You will still need to practise social distancing and good personal hygiene.

Take extra care when visiting vulnerable people.

If you are feeling unwell, you should not visit other people at home. Even if you have only mild symptoms like tiredness or a sore throat, find out about testing at a COVID-19 clinic.

Updated: Monday, 04 May 2020

Non-essential gatherings

We are suspending non-essential gatherings to reduce the risk of spreading coronavirus (COVID-19). This will give both businesses and people time to fully understand social distancing requirements.

Updated: 7:30pm AEDT on Sunday, 29 March 2020

    • Public gatherings, excluding household members, have been reduced to a maximum of two (2) people. Check State and Territory websites for further enforcement information.

    • Everyone should stay home unless you are: shopping for essentials, receiving medical care, exercising or travelling to work or education.

    • People aged over 70, aged over 60 with pre-existing conditions, or Indigenous people aged over 50 should stay home wherever possible for their own protection.

    • Evictions will be put on hold for 6 months by the states and territories. Landlords and renters are encouraged to talk about short term agreements. More information to come this week.

    • If you are in self-isolation because you are confirmed or suspected to have Coronavirus (COVID-19), or have been in close contact with a confirmed case, use this form to help us track the spread of the virus. Read more.

https://www.australia.gov.au/#essential_information

previous update:

The following facilities were restricted from opening from midday local time 23 March 2020:

    • pubs, registered and licensed clubs (excluding bottle shops attached to these venues), hotels (excluding accommodation)

    • gyms and indoor sporting venues

    • cinemas, entertainment venues, casinos and night clubs

    • restaurants and cafes will be restricted to takeaway and/or home delivery

    • religious gatherings, places of worship or funerals (in enclosed spaces and other than very small groups and where the 1 person per 4 square metre rule applies)

From 12:00am on 26 March, these restrictions will extend to the following facilities:

    • food courts (except for take away)

    • auction houses, real estate auctions and open houses

    • personal services ( beauty, nail, tanning, waxing and tattoo salons)

    • Spa and massage parlours, excluding health related services such as physiotherapy

    • amusement parks, arcades and play centres (indoor and outdoor)

    • Strip clubs, brothels and sex on premises venues.

    • galleries, national institutions, historic sites and museums

    • Health clubs, fitness centres, yoga, barre and spin facilities, saunas, bathhouses and wellness centres and swimming pools

    • community facilities such as community halls, libraries and youth centres, RSL and PCYC

    • Gaming and gambling venues

    • Indoor and outdoor markets (excluding food markets). States and territories will make their own announcements about this.

Weddings can be conducted with no more than five people, including the couple, the celebrant and the witnesses. The 4 square metre rule and social distancing must be observed.

Funerals must be limited to no more than 10 people. The 4 square metre rule and social distancing must be observed.

Hairdressers and barbers can continue to operate under strict new rules. The four square metre rule and social distancing must be observed. Clients must also not spend more than 30 minutes inside the premises.

Bootcamps and personal training can be conducted outdoors with no more than 10 people and social distancing observed.

Hotels, hostels, bed and breakfast, campsites, caravan parks and boarding houses will be a decision for each state and territory.

These measures also apply to outdoor spaces associated with the above venues.

The health advice on schools has not changed and the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) does not recommend that schools be shut at this time. Some states may end their first term early.

If parents choose to keep their children home from schools that are open, they must be responsible for their children’s conduct and make sure they adhere to social distancing.

States and territories are making decisions regarding schools based on local circumstances. Visit your state or territory government website for more information.

Essential gatherings

Essential gatherings must restrict the number of people present to:

    • 500 for outdoor gatherings

    • 100 for indoor gatherings

Essential indoor gatherings

An indoor gathering takes place within a single enclosed area (a single room or area).

Essential activities include:

    • essential workplaces

    • health care settings

    • pharmacies

    • food shopping

    • schools and universities

    • public transport and airports

These essential indoor gatherings must apply social distancing and good hygiene practices, including:

    • being able to maintain a distance of 1.5 metres between people

    • providing hand hygiene products and suitable rubbish bins, with frequent cleaning and waste disposal

Aged care facilities

Special restrictions remain in place for aged care facilities to protect older Australians.

Public transport

Public transport is essential and, at this stage, the 100 person limit does not apply. This will be reviewed regularly.

Always use appropriate social distancing and hygiene practices when travelling on public transport.

Non-essential travel is to be avoided.

Essential outdoor gatherings

Essential outdoor events of less than 500 attendees can proceed. All must follow these rules:

    • Consider the size of the space, the number of people in it, and how much room people have to move around safely — people must be able to keep 1.5 metres apart.

    • Make hand hygiene products and suitable rubbish bins readily available.

    • Conduct frequent cleaning and waste disposal.

Copied 26/03/2020 8:30 am directly from Commonwealth of Australia Department of Health Limits on public gatherings for coronavirus (COVID-19)