Premier Berejiklian this morning announced an extension of the Greater Sydney lockdown which means regional NSW restrictions won’t be eased.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian this morning announced that the Greater Sydney lockdown will be extended for an additional week after learning the state recorded an additional 27 new local Covid-19 cases, totalling at 347 active locally acquired cases.

From that amount in the last four weeks, 171 cases are from South Eastern Sydney, 86 from South Western Sydney, 45 from the city of Sydney, 34 from Western Sydney, 12 from Northern Sydney, 6 from Illawarra Shoalhaven, and 2 from Central Coast.

Fairfield, Liverpool and Canterbury-Bankstown are current areas of focus and concerns.

There are no cases in the regions, including the Murrumbidgee Local Health District with a completed amount of 17,158 tests done.

Locally acquired cases in the last four weeks marked by LGAs. Image: NSW Health.

The Greater Sydney two-week lockdown that was initially supposed to end this Friday has now been extended until July 17 12.01am.

Rural communities in NSW and its local economy is also feeling the brunt of the outbreak with social distancing restrictions, capacity limits and all existing regulations to remain.

Having school holidays plans already cancelled, Greater Sydney school students will face four days of home learning, although those with parents who are doing essential work, their children are welcomed on the school grounds.

School students in the regions such as Cootamundra and Harden-Murrumburrah however, will resume face-to-face when Term 3 commences next week.

Ms Berejiklian emphasised the need to extend the Greater Sydney lockdown as to ensure that the state was not “going in and out” of lockdowns.

It is said the decision was already made yesterday, and some are predicting that it was hinted last night so it would “soften the blow” when announced earlier today.

The current restrictions that apply to all of NSW and will be extended include:

  • People who have been in the Greater Sydney region (including the Blue Mountains, Central Coast and Wollongong) on or 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 or by congregants at indoor places of worship will not be allowed;
  • Dancing will not be allowed at indoor hospitality venues or nightclubs however, dancing is allowed at weddings for the wedding party only (no more than 20 people);
  • Dance and gym classes limited to 20 per class (masks must be worn);
  • The 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 per cent seated capacity

Christopher Tan