19 DECEMBER
NE Sydney is now in hard lockdown and ALL Metro Sydney are now ASKED TO MASKUP , STAY@HOME & NOT GO OUT TIL WEDNESDAY 23th , very likely if the cluster keeps spreading and growing that ALL SYDNEY WILL BE BACK IN HARD LOCKDOWN .
There are also some cases in a NE Sydney residential aged care home now too.
Key Covid Stories chosen from flood of news today.
Greater Sydney lockdown fears as Gladys Berejiklian warns coronavirus cases to worsen
Victoria extends 'orange zone' to NSW Central Coast
Queenslanders identified as close contacts with NSW cluster
SYDNEY COVID contacts attended Adelaide Test (Cricket)
Thousands land in Adelaide from NSW while border stays open
SA HAS NO COVID CASES IN HOSPITAL FOR OVER 14 DAYS.
Victoria goes 50 days without locally-acquired coronavirus cases
VICTORIA HAS NO COVID CASES IN HOSPITAL FOR OVER 14 DAYS.
UPDATED TODAY = Australia’s state by state Covid restrictions and coronavirus lockdown rules explained
NE Sydney is now in hard lockdown and ALL Metro Sydney are now ASKED TO MASKUP , STAY@HOME & NOT GO OUT TIL WEDNESDAY 23th , very likely if the cluster keeps spreading and growing that ALL SYDNEY WILL BE BACK IN HARD LOCKDOWN .
There are also some cases in a NE Sydney residential aged care home now too.
Key Covid Stories chosen from flood of news today.
Greater Sydney lockdown fears as Gladys Berejiklian warns coronavirus cases to worsen
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/greater-sydney-lockdown-fears-as-gladys-berejiklian-warns-coronavirus-cases-to-worsen/ar-BB1c3AEp?ocid=msedgdhpThe New South Wales premier, Gladys Berejiklian, has warned residents of greater Sydney to prepare for an increase in restrictions if the outbreak of Covid-19 expands beyond the northern beaches.
Meanwhile travellers coming from NSW to Queensland will require a border pass declaration from 1am on Sunday and Western Australia announced it was reinstating its hard border with NSW.
The Avalon cluster grew to 38 cases up to 8pm on Friday and residents of the northern beaches have entered an enforced lockdown until midnight on Wednesday.
Berejiklian said she expected to announce a similar number, or more, new cases on Sunday to the 23 new confirmed cases reported in Saturday’s figures.
She said health authorities were monitoring the situation and would act on Sunday if there was evidence the virus had spread beyond the northern beaches.
“I should say, to put everybody on notice, we will be considering today after consulting, obviously, the relevant people, whether this time tomorrow we do revert back to some restrictions in greater Sydney,” Berejiklian said.
“I just want to put everybody on notice that that is a possibility and that will depend on the health advice sent to us during the course of the day.”
The lockdown imposed on the northern beaches is similar to the restrictions imposed across the state in March, with residents permitted to leave their homes only for essential purposes such as grocery shopping, exercise, work and medical care.
Gyms and places of worship have closed and hospitality venues are open only for takeaway.
The state government also urged residents of greater Sydney not currently subject to the lockdown to cancel all non-essential gatherings, outings and travel until midnight on Wednesday to give people the best chance possible of “having a good Christmas”.
The premier said authorities did not want the virus to spread outside of the northern beaches or cases to increase to an extent that would lead to tougher measures.
“So can I say to everybody in other parts of Sydney outside the northern beaches, please limit your activity,” Berejiklian said. “We are asking you to do this in good faith.
“If you are planning a night out tonight, we ask you to consider changing those plans and staying at home.
“We want people to stay at home tonight and the next few nights so that we can ensure the virus does not spread.”
Organisers of the Sydney to Hobart are yet to make a call about whether to cancel the yacht race for the first time in its 75-year history. At this stage, the race is still set to go ahead.
But Christmas travel plans for thousands of people have been disrupted.
On Sunday evening the Western Australian premier Mark McGowan said WA’s “low risk” rating for the eastern state had been upgraded to “medium risk”, meaning that it would reinstate the same strict measures seen earlier in the year.
“This has been a difficult decision to make especially given the time of year,” McGowan said. “I understand this will be devastating news for people looking to meet family for Christmas in NSW.”
He criticised NSW health authorities for taking a “whack-a-mole” approach to the outbreak thus far.
“They seem to step on a gym here, or a restaurant there,” he said. “This is causing grief all over Australia so they need to kill the virus in NSW.”
McGowan said WA’s revised border measures had come following an Australian Health Protection Principal Committee meeting, where health chief across the country had received the latest advice.
The only people from NSW able to fly into WA after midnight on Saturday will be those with special exemptions – such as essential health and freight workers.
Meanwhile, the Victorian government warned all of greater Sydney could be declared a “red zone” if the outbreak worsens, meaning they would not be permitted to enter Victoria. That currently applies only to people who have been in the northern beaches area.
People who have been in greater Sydney but not the northern beaches are currently considered to have been in the “orange zone”, meaning they must get tested when they get to Victoria and self-isolate until they receive a negative test.
Victorian contact tracers have identified 70 primary close contacts of northern beaches cases among travellers who have arrived between 11 and 17 December.
“We remain extremely concerned about the outbreak in NSW and the likelihood that it has seeded beyond the northern beaches,” the Victorian health minister, Martin Foley, said.
The state has had 50 consecutive days of no local virus transmission and authorities are desperate to protect the hard-won gains in the wake of its devastating second wave.
The Queensland government said on Saturday it hoped to maintain its open border with NSW but there would be random checks of people crossing the border.
Anyone travelling into the state from NSW from 1am Sunday will require a border pass. People who have been in the northern beaches will require an exemption to travel into Queensland and must quarantine for 14 days after their arrival.
Anyone travelling into the state from elsewhere in Sydney or the central coast will have to take a Covid-19 test on arrival and isolate until they receive a negative result.
Queensland health minister Yvette D’Ath said visitors would be able to apply for the passes online from 8pm on Saturday.
“We won’t have barriers up at the borders but what we will be doing is putting electronic signs up that let everybody know they should have a border pass and the police will be doing random audits and checks as people come across the borders,” she said.
The declaration includes information such as previous travel to hotspots, Covid symptoms and contact with known cases.
D’Ath asked Queenslanders intending to travel to NSW to reconsider their plans as more coronavirus cases are likely to be identified in coming days.
On Saturday afternoon, the Tasmanian government announced the greater Sydney region was now considered “medium risk”. From Sunday, anyone travelling to Tasmania from greater Sydney will be required to quarantine for 14 days, either at home or at a government-run hotel at the traveller’s expense.
Only returning Tasmanian residents will be allowed to enter if they have visited the northern beaches.
Gutwein said the number of yacht crew involved in the Sydney to Hobart living on the northern beaches “would make it very challenging for the race to proceed” but added the decision was ultimately one for race organisers.
Related: Sydney coronavirus crisis: northern beaches locked down for four days as cases rise to 38
South Australia is requiring travellers from the northern beaches area to quarantine.
Paul Kelly, Australia’s acting chief medical officer, said residents and businesses on the northern beaches had responded well since the outbreak, noting the community had begun to self-isolate and businesses and places of worship had closed their doors before the lockdown was announced.
“It’s extraordinary, it’s a wonder to watch,” Kelly told reporters in Canberra on Saturday.
Kelly said the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) – a collective body of health officials from all jurisdictions – was meeting daily again and he was having daily conversations with the NSW chief health officer.
He encouraged Sydneysiders to download the CovidSafe app to help with contract tracing.
Kelly pushed back on the idea of speeding up vaccine delivery to Australia in light of the Sydney outbreak, saying the rollout was still on track for March, pending approval of the Therapeutic Goods Administration.
“The rest of the country is doing very well,” he said. “We don’t need an emergency vaccine right now.”
Victoria extends 'orange zone' to NSW Central Coast
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/world/sydney-imposes-lockdown-on-beach-suburbs-as-covid-cluster-grows/ar-BB1c3bJO?ocid=msedgdhpAround a quarter of a million people in Sydney's northern beach suburbs were ordered on Saturday into a strict lockdown until midnight on Wednesday in an effort to contain a coronavirus cluster which authorities fear may spread across the city.
Authorities will on Sunday announce whether further restrictions will be imposed on the rest of Sydney, Australia's most populous city.
"I want to make that clear, to say to greater Sydney, please, please, do not go out tonight or the next few days unless you really have to," New South Wales state Premier Gladys Berejiklian said at a news conference on Saturday.
The outbreak on Sydney's northern beaches now totals 39 with two additional cases still under investigation. This up from five only two days ago, but authorities do not know the origin of the virus, which genome testing suggests is a U.S. strain.
Australia has avoided the worst of the coronavirus due to international border closures, lockdowns, widespread testing and social distancing. It has recorded so far a total of around 28,100 infections.
Until this week, Australia had gone more than two weeks without any local transmission and had lifted the majority of restrictions ahead of Christmas. The Sydney outbreak prompted states and territories to reimpose border restrictions, sending holiday travel plans for thousands into chaos.
The Sydney lockdown will mean people in the designated area will only be allowed to leave home for one of four essential reasons: grocery shopping, work, compassionate grounds including emergency medical treatment, or visiting an isolated relative.
Authorities have pinpointed two clubs at Avalon beach as the original transmission sites for the cluster, but have issued more than 30 potential secondary transmission sites, as far away as Bondi and Cronulla beaches in the east and south of the city.
After more than 12,000 tests were conducted on Friday, people queued in Sydney for hours on Saturday to get tested.
"That is the community responding in the way we want them to respond," Australia's Deputy Chief Medical Paul Kelly said.
Major public facilities in the "hotspot" area, such as swimming pools, beaches and playgrounds, have been closed and visitors banned from age care facilities.
Many restaurants, cafes and 14 hotels in the area have voluntarily closed this weekend.
Queenslanders identified as close contacts with NSW cluster
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/coronavirus-several-queenslanders-identified-as-close-contacts-with-nsw-cluster/vi-BB1c3DJI?ocid=msedgdhp11 Queenslanders have been identified as close contacts with the growing COVID-19 cluster on Sydney’s Northern Beaches.
SYDNEY COVID contacts attended Adelaide Test (Cricket)
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/covid-contacts-attended-adelaide-test/ar-BB1c3UCn?ocid=msedgdhp3 cricket fans who were at the Adelaide Oval for the Test between Australia and India have been identified as close contacts of people known to have contracted coronavirus in NSW.
SA Health says all three tested negative for COVID-19.
"All have returned a negative test and will continue their 14 day quarantine in a medi-hotel," SA Health said in a statement on Saturday.
The match wrapped up on day three on Saturday, preventing the need for further measures to protect Test fans.
SA Health said wastewater samples taken from the Adelaide Oval on Friday had returned negative test results.
Ticket holders from the NSW hotspots had been asked not to attend and SA Health had conducted risk assessments of attendees who admitted to travelling from NSW since December 11.
South Australia declared Sydney's northern peninsula a high community transmission zone on Friday.
Those who visited Sydney cluster sites the Avalon RSL and Avalon Bowlo are not permitted to enter the state.
Anyone travelling from the wider northern beaches area, Sydney's Penrith or Lavender Bay will be required to self-isolate for 14 days and get tested.
The northern beaches cluster grew by 23 cases to 40 infections on Saturday, prompting other states to strengthen their borders against NSW travellers.
Thousands land in Adelaide from NSW while border stays open
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/thousands-expected-to-land-in-adelaide-from-nsw-as-border-stays-open/ar-BB1c44Lx?ocid=msedgdhphe NSW border to South Australia remains open as people rush to rejoin families and loved ones for Christmas.
Thousands of people are set to fly between Sydney and Adelaide in the coming days, but so far South Australia has only imposed restrictions on travellers from Sydney's hotspots and from the Northern Beaches.
Those who visited coronavirus hotspot locations are barred from entry, while anybody from the Northern Beaches needs to self-isolate for two weeks.
here were more than a dozen flights between the two cities today.
Those arriving in Adelaide were greeted by police, who conducted checks to make sure they had not visited any hotspots.
But authorities are continuing to review the situation, with a border closure possible if the cluster spreads in Sydney.
Other states, including Western Australia, Queensland, Tasmania and Victoria, have recently announced measures to halt the spread of COVID-19 from Sydney.
SA HAS NO COVID CASES IN HOSPITAL FOR OVER 14 DAYS.
Victoria goes 50 days without locally-acquired coronavirus cases
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/victoria-goes-50-days-without-locally-acquired-coronavirus-cases/vi-BB1c3x0B?ocid=msedgdhpVictoria is on high alert over a growing outbreak north of the border on Sydney's Northern Beaches
VICTORIA HAS NO COVID CASES IN HOSPITAL FOR OVER 14 DAYS.
UPDATED TODAY = Australia’s state by state Covid restrictions and coronavirus lockdown rules explained
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/australia-s-state-by-state-covid-restrictions-and-coronavirus-lockdown-rules-explained/ar-BB1bH1f4?ocid=msedgdhpAustralian states and territories have different levels of restrictions to contain Covid-19.
Sydney’s northern beaches cluster
As of 5pm on Saturday 19 December, residents of Sydney’s Northern Beaches Council are subject to a lockdown to contain a growing cluster. The lockdown is set to end at midnight on Wednesday 23 December.
While details of the public health order are expected, residents will be required to stay at home, unless permitted to leave for certain reasons, such as essential shopping, exercise and medical care.
People living outside the northern beaches are also not permitted to enter the LGA unless the above reasons apply.
Queensland, Victoria, Tasmania and the Northern Territory have implemented travel restrictions barring entry to residents of the northern beaches, while Western Australia is requiring all residents of NSW to quarantine.
How many people can I have over at my house?
New South Wales: people are allowed a maximum of 50 visitors in their homes at a time. However NSW Health strongly recommends having no more than 30 visitors at a time if the residence has no outdoor area. If there are more than 50 visitors at a home, every person can be held individually responsible for a breach of the public health order.
Victoria: people are allowed to have up to 30 visitors in their homes each day. The government advised people to keep a record of visitors where possible.
Queensland: you are allowed up to 50 guests inside your home.
Tasmania: you can have up to 40 visitors in your home.
Western Australia: there is no limit to the number of guests you are allowed as long as there is no more than one person per 2 sq m.
South Australia: gatherings in private homes are limited to 10 people, regardless of age. All gatherings must observe the density requirements of one person per 4 sq m.
Northern Territory: there is no limit on how many people can gather indoors or outdoors, but you must keep 1.5 m between you and anyone with whom you don’t live. Gatherings of more than 100 will require the completion of a Covid-19 checklist.
ACT: there is no limit on visitors, but physical distancing should be maintained.
How many people can gather outside?
New South Wales: public gatherings of up to 50 are allowed. This limit does not apply if the group of people are all from the same household or if it is a controlled outdoor event. Further easing of restrictions will be carried out on Monday 7 December.
Victoria: up to 100 people from any number of households can gather. 1.5 m should be maintained between yourself and others not from your household.
Queensland: public gatherings are restricted to a maximum of 50; this does not apply to businesses operating with a Covid-safe plan.
Tasmania: up to 1,000 are allowed in an undivided outdoor space as long as there is at least 2 sq m of space a person.
Western Australia: there is no limit on the number allowed at public gatherings as long as there is at least 2 sq m of space a person.
South Australia: gatherings at public places are capped at 50, with density requirements of one person every 4 sq m.
Northern Territory: there are no limits but you should maintain physical distancing. Gatherings of more than 100 will require completion of a Covid-19 checklist.
ACT: up to 500 people can gather together outdoors or in public indoor areas. There must be at least 4 sq m of space per person in indoor spaces and 2 sq m of space per person in outdoor spaces.
Can I visit someone in an aged care facility?
In every state, all visitors must have received this year’s flu vaccination unless they have a documented medical contraindication. Visitors cannot enter an aged care facility if they have recently been overseas, been in recent contact with a confirmed case of Covid-19, or feel unwell.
New South Wales: NSW Health provides guidelines for residential aged care facilities. Residents should have no more than two visitors a day, no large group visits or gatherings, and all visits should be short and take place in the resident’s room, outdoors or a specified area (instead of a communal area).
Victoria: there are no longer any restrictions on visits to care facilities in Victoria. People of any age can visit residents for as long as desired, as long as the rules set by the facility are followed. Face masks must still be worn.
Queensland: residents can have up to two visitors at any one time. There is no limit on the number of visits allowed in a day or the length of the visit.
Tasmania: residents can have up to two visitors at one time. There is no limit on the number of visits in a day or the length of each visit. Residents are allowed to go outside on trips, and hairdressers can be allowed in. Additional visitors are allowed for end of life support, or if needed to reduce distress and confusion given a resident’s medical condition.
Western Australia: each resident can have one care and support visit a day, with up to two visitors at a time. Only immediate social supports, such as family and close friends, professional help or advocacy services can attend.
South Australia: up to two people can visit at the same time for care and support. There is no limit to the length of each visit. Workers must wear a mask where physical distancing isn’t possible, and can work at only one site.
Northern Territory: residents can have up to two visitors at a time. There is no limit on the number of visits in a day or the length of each visit.
ACT: residents can be visited by up to two people at a time. There is no limit on the number of visits in a day or the length of each visit.
Can I eat at a restaurant, cafe or pub?
New South Wales: yes, but group bookings are limited to 30, with venues observing the 4 sq m a person rule up to a cap of 300 for each separate area at any time. Small venues (up to 200 sq m in size) can have one person per 2 sq m indoors. All diners must provide name and contact details, including a phone number or email address, for contact tracing. Food courts have reopened.
Victoria: there are specific directions for differently sized indoor venues. Venues are capped subject to a density rule of one person per 2 sq m, with no other cap. There are no longer any group booking limitations.
Queensland: restaurants, cafes, pubs, registered clubs, RSL clubs and hotels with a Covid-safe checklist can seat any number of patrons as long as the 2 sq m-a-person limit is observed.
Tasmania: up to 250 are allowed in an undivided space as long as there is no more than one person every 2 sq m. Up to 1,000 people are allowed in an undivided outdoor space, density requirements permitting.
Western Australia: cafes and restaurants (including in pubs, bars, hotels, casinos, clubs) can open to up to seated diners, with one person every 2 sq m. There is no requirement for businesses to maintain a patron register, but they must display a COVID Safety Plan Certificate in a prominent location visible to patrons.
South Australia: restaurants, cafes, pubs, food courts, nightclubs and casinos have caps of 100 people, with density requirements of one person per 4 sq m total. Standing consumption, indoors and outdoors, is not allowed. Bookings are capped at 10 people maximum, with seated dining only.
Northern Territory: all businesses can reopen as long as they have a Covid plan. The two-hour limit has been lifted, meaning nightclubs can reopen. You can buy alcohol from a bar. Licensed gaming activities, including Tab, have restarted.
ACT: restaurants, cafes and other hospitality venues offering seated dining can host up to 500 patrons in each space, as long as there is one person per 4 sq m in indoor venues and one person per 4 sq m in outdoor venues. This limit excludes staff.
How far can I travel on holiday within my state?
There are no longer any restrictions except for Western Australia, where there are some restrictions on visiting some remote Aboriginal communities and South Australia.
Can I visit another state?
New South Wales: anyone can enter NSW. The Queensland-NSW border will be open to all travellers from NSW as of Tuesday 1 December 2020. Anyone travelling into NSW who has been to South Australia in the last 14 days must complete a NSW entry declaration form before entering NSW.
Victoria: no permit or approval is required for anyone wanting to enter Victoria, with the exception of South Australians, who require a permit. If you have travelled from a red zone in South Australia in the last 14 days, you are unable to enter Victoria, except for specific exemptions. If you have travelled from an orange or green zone, you will need to apply for a permit before you are able to enter Victoria.
Queensland: the Queensland border is open to all of New South Wales and Victoria. You will only be required to complete a Queensland Border Declaration Pass if you have been in a hotspot in the last 14 days, or overseas and didn’t fly into Queensland when you arrived in Australia. From Monday 16 November, 20 South Australia LGAs were declared a Covid-19 hotspot, meaning anyone travelling from there will be turned away at the border.
Tasmania: all travellers from ACT, NSW, NT, QLD, VIC and WA need to register via the Tas e-Travel system at least three days before entering Tasmania but can otherwise freely enter. Anyone travelling from South Australia must quarantine for 14 days in Tasmania (but may be able to do so at home). The intended quarantine location must be registered through the G2G PASS system.
Western Australia: travellers from ACT, NT, QLD and TAS will not be required to quarantine or present for Day 11 testing. However, they will need to complete the G2G PASS registration and declaration process. Travellers from NSW and VIC will need to self-quarantine for 14 days in a suitable premises as well as complete the G2G registration until 8 December, after which they will not required to quarantine. South Australians will not be permitted into WA unless new special exemption requirements are met.
South Australia: anyone travelling to SA must complete a cross-border travel registration, with travel open to everyone. Western Australia, Tasmania, Queensland, the ACT and the Northern Territory have closed their borders to South Australians, with some exemptions. The NT and Tasmania are imposing a 14-day quarantine on returning travellers from SA. NSW and Victoria have open borders with South Australia, with their respective governments advising travellers to either reconsider their travel or to be wary of the outbreak.
Northern Territory: you can enter provided you fill out a border entry form up to 72 hours before arrival and present it upon entry. You will be required to legally declare you have not been in an area the state considers a Covid-19 hotspot in the past 28 days. Penalties of up to $5,000 and up to three years in prison apply for providing misleading information. Declared hotspots for Greater Melbourne and Adelaide have been lifted. There is no longer any requirement to undertake mandatory quarantine for those travelling into the NT from interstate.
ACT: anyone can enter the ACT, however, under a Public Health Direction, anyone travelling into the ACT who has been in South Australia must complete an online declaration.
How many people can attend a wedding or funeral?
New South Wales: up to 300 can attend a wedding, subject to the 4 sq m rule indoors and 2 sq m rule outdoors. For weddings, up to 20 people in the wedding party are permitted on the dance floor. This applies only to members of the official wedding party and dancers cannot be rotated or substituted throughout the celebration. Funerals can be attended by up to 100 providing there is at least 4 sq m a person. This applies to indoor and outdoor ceremonies. Those attending will have to provide name and contact details.
Victoria: Weddings and funerals are subject to a one person per two square metres density rule, with no other caps. A wedding or funeral held at a private residence is limited to the number of people in the household, plus two visitors.
Queensland: up to 200 can attend weddings and funerals at a professional venue. Private wedding services in public areas or private homes can have a maximum of 30, including the bride, groom, wedding party and marriage celebrant if there is no Covidsafe plan. Private funerals performed in public areas or private homes can have a maximum of 200. A record of names and contact details of each guest must be kept for 56 days.
Tasmania: up to 250 can gather in an undivided indoor space, and up to 1,000 in an undivided outdoor space. In both cases, the number present must also not exceed one person per 2 sq m.
Western Australia: there is no limit as long as there is no more than one person every 2 sq m.
South Australia: weddings are capped at 150, and all attendees must register with SA Health. Funerals are capped at 50. Density limits of one person every 4 sq m at both.
Northern Territory: there is no limit but gatherings of more than 100 will be required to complete a Covid-19 checklist.
ACT: up to 500 guests can attend weddings or funerals, as long as there is no more than one person every 4 sq m. Dancing at weddings is permitted.
Can I go to my place of worship?
New South Wales: the number of people in a public place of worship must not exceed 300, and the 4 sq m physical distancing rule must be observed, even if men and women are in seperate areas. The state’s chief health officer has urged congregations to reconsider activities that might spread the virus – such as group singing and passing collection baskets around.
Victoria: religious gatherings are limited to 150 worshippers indoors and 300 outdoor, not including a faith leader.
Queensland: one person per 4 sq m. However, if the place of worship is less than 200 sq m it can have one person per 2 sq m, up to a total of 50 at either private or public services.
Tasmania: up to 250 can gather in an undivided indoor space, as long as there are 2 sq m a person.
Western Australia: attendance is limited only by the 2 sq m rule.
South Australia: capped at 100. Attendance is limited only by the 4 sq m rule.
Northern Territory: there is no limit on how many can attend at the same time but social distancing should be observed.
ACT: a maximum of 25 people, excluding staff and those conducting the service, across the whole venue.
Are schools back in session?
Yes, schools across all states have reopened to face-to-face learning.
In NSW there are some restrictions on activities, including requiring physical distancing for choirs, musical ensembles and class activities which involve group chanting. Full details can be found on the NSW government website.
In Victoria, students over 12 must wear a face mask if they are learning or doing onsite supervision unless they attend a primary school.
Are salons, spas and other beauty services open?
Yes, hairdressers, barbers, nail waxing, tanning and beauty salons, tattoo and massage parlours have reopened across the country, provided businesses meet density limits, and, in South Australia, service providers wear a mask.
In Victoria, businesses that offer services where a face mask cannot be worn by the client for the duration of the service (such as facials and lip waxing) have now resumed. However, the person providing the service must wear a face mask at all times.
What about cinemas, entertainment venues, museums, libraries and open houses?
New South Wales: museums, galleries and libraries, National Trust and Historic Houses Trust properties are open to guests, as long as 4 sq m is allowed per person and they have a Covid-19 safety plan. For large venues attendance to a ticketed event with allocated seating must not exceed 50% of capacity . The total number of people in a major recreational facility hosting a non-ticketed or non-seated event must not exceed one person per 4 sq m (excluding staff) with no maximum capacity.
Victoria: entertainment and cultural venues such as music venues, museums, indoor and outdoor cinemas, and the casino are open, subject to capacity restrictions. Night clubs are also able to reopen. Brothels and strip clubs have reopened, but must have Covid-safe plans in place and follow strict patron limits. Libraries and community venues can hold up to 20 a venue.
Queensland: libraries, museums, art galleries, historic sites, indoor cinemas, concert venues, theatres, arenas, auditoriums, stadiums, nightclubs, outdoor amusement parks, zoos and arcades can reopen with a Covidsafe plan. Face masks should be worn upon entry and exit.
Tasmania: up to 250 can attend each undivided space in indoor recreational facilities, such as libraries, arcades, play centres, cinemas, museums, national institutions, historic sites and galleries, the 2 sq m rule permitting. Up to 1,000 are allowed in each undivided outdoor space.
Western Australia: community facilities, libraries, galleries, museums, theatres, auditoriums, cinemas and concert venues can reopen, as can Perth zoo, wildlife and amusement parks, arcades, skate rinks and indoor play centres. All venues can have as many people as the one-person-per-2-sq-m rules allow. There is a 50% capacity cap on major sport and entertainment venues, such as the Optus Stadium, HBF Park and RAC Arena. All events are allowed, except for large scale, multi-stage music festivals. Unseated performances can go ahead at concert halls, live music venues, bars, pubs and nightclubs, and the casino gaming floor can reopen under temporary restrictions.
South Australia: venues are open, but density requirements must be observed, with a maximum of one person per 4 sq m allowed at cinemas, theatres, concert venues, zoos, galleries, museums and historic sites.
Northern Territory: public libraries, art galleries, museums, zoos, cinemas and theatres, music halls, nightclubs, amusement parks, community centres, stadiums, sporting facility and similar entertainment venues can open.
ACT: movie theatres, indoor amusement centres, arcades, outdoor and indoor play centres, betting agencies, outdoor amusements and attractions, community and youth centres, galleries, museums, national institutions, libraries historic sites and zoos can sell seated (when applicable) tickets at no more than 50% of capacity of each venue. There can only be one person per 4 sq m throughout the venue. Audiences must remain seated at live performances.
Can I go to the gym? What else can I do for exercise?
New South Wales: gyms, fitness centres and studios (such as dance studios) may open for up to 20 a class. The total in a facility must not exceed one person in 4 sq m, excluding staff. Indoor pools and saunas have also reopened to up to 20. Community sporting competitions and training can go ahead as long as the number in a facility does not exceed one person every 4 sq m, excluding staff, to a maximum of 500. You can use outdoor gym equipment in public, with caution, and enjoy activities such as fishing, hunting and boating.
Victoria: there are no limits on how long you can spend exercising each day or the number of times you are allowed to leave your home for exercise. Personal training is allowed and exercise in a group of up to 100 in a public place is permitted. For indoor exercise classes, the cap is 50 people. In general, gyms are subject to the one per four square metres density rule. Outdoor sport recreational facilities, such as tennis courts, golf courses or bowling greens, are open with some restrictions. Indoor exercise is allowed, with limits on the number allowed at once. Classes can resume with up to 20. Outdoor and indoor pools have opened, with restrictions on capacity. Outdoor non-contact sport can resume but limited to minimum number of people required for the game. Outdoor community sport for under 18s can resume under similar rules.
Queensland: yes, gyms, health clubs, yoga studios and community sports clubs can open for up to one person per 2 sq m up to a total of 50 if the indoor venue is 200 sq m or less. Indoor venues larger than 200 sq m can have one person every 4 sq m. People can gather outside, play non-contact sport and participate in outdoor group training and boot camps with physical distancing. Parks, playgrounds, skateparks and pools are open with physical distancing rules.
Tasmania: yes, up to 250 are allowed in an undivided indoor venue, as long as there are 2 sq m per person. Outdoor gathering limits have increased to 1,000. Full contact training and full competition sport (contact and non-contact) is allowed, as is sharing equipment, change rooms and other facilities.
Western Australia – Gyms, health clubs, and indoor sports centres can reopen for up to one person per 2 sq m. Gyms can operate unstaffed but must undergo regular cleaning. Contact sport and training can also recommence, and playgrounds, outdoor gym equipment and skate parks can be used.
South Australia: indoor play centres, amusement parks and arcades will all remain closed. Community or club sports fixtures and trainings, whether indoors or outdoors, will not go ahead, as well as swimming, other than for fitness or rehabilitation. However, gyms, recreation centres, trampoline and play cafes have all reopened. Outdoor fitness activities, such as boot camps and personal training sessions, are also allowed, with density restrictions in place.
Northern Territory: gyms, fitness studios and indoor training activities such as Cross Fit are allowed. You can also officiate, participate and support team sports, such as football, basketball, soccer and netball.
ACT: indoor gyms and fitness centres are open to up to 100 people in any enclosed space, as long as there is only one person per 4 sq m. Full contact training for sport, dance and martial arts, as well as circuit training, is allowed. From 9am 2 December, if businesses and venues want to have more than 25 people across their venue, they can apply the one person per 2 sq m of usable space rule in both indoor and outdoor spaces provided they use the Check In CBR app to collect patron contact details. Venues will have until Wednesday 16 December 2020 to register with Check In CBR to meet this requirement. The new maximum number of people for each space will be 500.
Who decides if I am breaking the new laws?
Generally, enforcement is left up to the discretion of police officers.
States have expressed different approaches. For example, the ACT says it will issue a warning while Victoria has adopted a more hardline attitude to those break social distancing rules.
NSW police commissioner Mick Fuller said he would review all physical-distancing fines.
“If I think it’s unreasonable, it will be withdrawn immediately and we’ll make personal contact with the individual,” he said.
What are my options for challenging a fine?
Not all states have specified this but it appears fines can be appealed using the same process as other issued by police.