Harden IGA was busy on Saturday afternoon after the NSW Government made announcements via social media that a lock down was imminent.

All of regional New South Wales was locked down at 5:00 pm on Saturday, with the lockdown at this stage set to end on Saturday at 5:00 pm.

Deputy Premier John Barilaro described the likelihood of the stay-at-home orders being extended as a “50/50” on Monday.

Still, he said it would ultimately be up to the health experts who remain concerned with the growing number of cases in western NSW.

The Deputy Premier said on Saturday that the decision to lockdown all of NSW was designed to minimise movement and protect our communities from the evolving COVID situation in Sydney.

Under the new restrictions, reasonable excuses to leave home include:

  • Obtaining food or other goods and services
  • Only one person in the household can eave their residence to obtain food, goods or services once a day. This restriction does not apply if it is not reasonably practicable (e.g. if a parent needs to take their dependent child to the shops with them).
  • Browsing in shops is prohibited and not a reasonable excuse to leave your home.
  • People must obtain goods and services in their Local Government Area or within 10 kilometres of their home, unless the goods or services are not available in that Local Government Area or within 10 kilometres.
  • Travelling to attend work or education (where it is not possible to do at home). In stay at home areas an employer must direct their staff to work from home if reasonably practicable.
  • Exercise outdoors in groups of no more than 2 (excluding members of the same household)
  • People must stay in their Local Government Area or within 10 kilometres of their home for exercise and outdoor recreation.
  • No carpooling between non-household members is permitted if a person is travelling to exercise or engage in outdoor recreation.
  • A person over 18 must carry documentary evidence showing their address and show it to Police on request.
  • Obtaining medical care or supplies –including obtaining a COVID-19 vaccination
  • Providing care or assistance to a vulnerable person
  • Attending a funeral of no more than 10 persons (excluding the person conducting the service and any other person necessary for the conduct and preparation of the service). A funeral cannot occur in a place of residence (exemptions may be in place for some of the areas that have to follow the stay at home rules).

While there are yet to be close contact locations in our LGA, with our proximity to Canberra, their close contact locations are of interest to many of our residents.

The close contact location list is now too long for us to print, but if you were in the ACT anytime since the 7th of August, you should continue to check the Covid-19 ACT website, where that list is readily available.