New restrictions imposed today by the NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian will impact the Snowy Mountains region and visitors who were planning to visit the snow during school holidays.
As of this evening at 6pm, 6 million people in Greater Sydney have been affected by the lockdown. Police have also issued a notice that number plate recognition will be used, and up to $11,000 fines for people attempting to leave the lockdown area.
In a statement this afternoon, the NSW Government has issued the following orders.
To protect the people of NSW from the evolving COVID-19 outbreak, current stay-at-home orders will be extended across from 6:00PM today until 11:59PM Friday, 9th July in these areas.
Greater Sydney including the Blue Mountains, Central Coast and Wollongong
Everyone in Greater Sydney must stay at home unless it is for an essential reason.
The reasons you may leave your home include;
- Shopping for essential goods and services.
- Medical care or companionate needs.
- Exercise outdoors in groups of 10 or fewer.
- Essential work, or education, where you cannot work or study from home.
Community sport will not be permitted during this period. Weddings will not be permitted from 11:59PM, Sunday 27th June. Funerals will be limited to one person per four square metres with a cap of 100 people, and masks must be worn indoors.
IN ALL OTHER PARTS OF NSW:
People who have been in the Greater Sydney region including the Blue Mountains, Wollongong and Central Coast on it after June 21 should follow the stay-at-home orders for a period of 14 days after they left Greater Sydney.
- Visitors to households will be limited to 5 guests - including children.
- Masks will be compulsory in all indoor non-residential settings, including workplaces, and at organised outdoor events.
- Drinking while standing at indoor venues will not be allowed.
- Singing by audiences and choirs at indoor venues will not be allowed.
- Dancing will not be allowed at indoor hospitality or nightclubs, however, dancing is allowed at weddings for the wedding party only with a cap of 20 people.
- Dance and gym classes limited to 20 per class and masks must be worn.
- One person per four square metre rule will be re-introduced for all indoor and outdoor settings, including weddings and funerals.
- Outdoor seated, ticketed events will be limited to 50%.
People across NSW should only enter Greater Sydney for essential reasons.
In the Snowy Mountains, accommodation businesses phones have been running hot with guests either seeking a refund, or information on where they stand with their booking. Some hotels have a full refund policy, while others do not, but guests would have been aware of policy when they made their booking.
The July school holiday period is normally one of the busiest two weeks of the entire snow season, but with the new stay at home orders expect the resorts to be far less busy as people come to terms with the predicament.
Yesterday some lodges and hotels were cancelling Sydney bookings who were within certain LGA regions and rebooking for other eligible guests such has been the demand this winter. This latest covid setback could change that further.
Local business have been posting information advising they will be checking licences for postcodes before entry to their venues.
Before travelling to the Snowy Mountains please assess your eligibility.
- For all those people who are here already who were in Sydney after June 21, you are requested to isolate for 14 days.
