Monday, October 11, 2021 isn't a date that Sydneysiders will forget. After more than 100 days under stay-at-home conditions, the New South Wales capital has emerged from its lengthy lockdown — under the first stage of the state's roadmap for returning to normal, which kicked in when 70 percent of NSW residents aged 16 and over received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine. If you're double-jabbed, plenty has just changed. Leaving the house whenever you like, and for whatever reason you like, is a reality again — and so is going to bars, eating at restaurants, seeing movies and more. And, this is just the first step in the plan to ease out of strict COVID-19 rules and restrictions between now and the end of the year. Wondering what you can do? What's changed? What's still to come, and when? There's a lot happening, so we've run through what's permitted at each phase of the roadmap. Sydneysiders, get ready to spend more time in more places with more people — just as summer hits. AT 70-PERCENT DOUBLE VACCINATED — EFFECTIVE MONDAY, OCTOBER 11 GATHERINGS Having visitors to your home is permitted if all adults are double vaccinated, with up to ten double-jabbed visitors allowed. People under 12 aren't counted as visitors. Outdoor gatherings can have up to 30 double-vaccinated people in attendance. EVENTS Weddings and funerals can have 100 double-vaccinated people in attendance. Dancing is permitted, but all eating and drinking must be done while seated. HOSPITALITY All hospitality venues, including restaurants, bars, pubs and cafes, can now reopen for double-vaccinated patrons — with a capacity cap of one person per four-square-metres inside and one person per two-square-metres outdoors. Bookings are only allowed for groups of up to 20 double-jabbed people, unless it's for a wedding or funeral. All eating and drinking must be done sitting down. QR code check-in remains compulsory. RETAIL All retail stores can reopen to double-jabbed customers, with a density limit of one person per four-square-metres. Unvaccinated people can only access stores dubbed 'critical' retail — the same stores that were able to open during lockdown. Personal services stores, such as hairdressers and beauty salons, can reopen for double-jabbed customers, with a density limit of one person per four-square-metres — for up to five customers at once. ENTERTAINMENT VENUES Theme parks, zoos, aquariums, stadiums, showgrounds and other major recreation facilities can reopen to double-jabbed customers, with a cap of 5000 people. At outdoor events that are both ticketed and seated, up to 500 double-vaccinated people can attend. Entertainment and information facilities such as cinemas, theatres, musical halls, concert halls, dance halls, drive-in cinemas, art galleries and museums can reopen to double-jabbed customers, with a density limit of one person per four-square-metres and a 75-percent cap on fixed seating. SPORT AND RECREATION Gyms can reopen to double-jabbed customers, with a density limit of one person per four-square-metres, and a class limit of 20. Indoor recreation facilities, such as squash courts, table tennis centres, health studios, bowling alleys and ice rinks, can also reopen to double-jabbed customers — with a density limit of one person per four-square-metres. Indoor pools can reopen to double-jabbed swimmers for lessons, lap swimming and rehabilitation activities. Outdoor pools have already reopened. Playing sport or exercising with your friends outside is permitted for double-jabbed folks, in groups of up to 20. MASKS Everyone over the age of 12 is required to wear a mask indoors in public, in shared indoor areas in apartment buildings, and while waiting for and riding public transport. If you work in hospitality and deal directly with members of the public, you also need to mask up. Masks remain compulsory for everyone over 12 on aircraft and in airports. TRAVEL The distance limit — restricting travel to your Local Government Area or within five kilometres of home — no longer applies. Carpooling with people you don't live with is allowed for double-jabbed folks. Travelling beyond Greater Sydney, the Central Coast, Blue Mountains, Shellharbour and Wollongong for holidays, recreation or day trips is still not allowed. People who live outside of Greater Sydney are still not permitted to enter Greater Sydney for holidays, recreation or day trips. Caravan parks and camping grounds can reopen. AT 80-PERCENT DOUBLE VACCINATED GATHERINGS At-home gatherings can have up to 20 double-vaccinated people in attendance. People under 12 aren't counted as visitors. Outdoor gatherings can have up to 50 double-vaccinated people in attendance. EVENTS Weddings and funerals no longer have attendee caps if everyone is double-vaccinated, but the density limit of one person per four-square-metres inside and and one person per two-square-metres outdoors applies. Eating and drinking while standing is allowed. HOSPITALITY Eating and drinking while standing is allowed, except at nightclubs. Dancing is allowed both indoors and outdoors, except at nightclubs. RETAIL Personal services stores, such as hairdressers and beauty salons, can keep serving double-jabbed customers, with a density limit of one person per four-square-metres — and no customer limit. ENTERTAINMENT VENUES Up to 3000 double-vaccinated people can attend outdoor events that are both ticketed and seated. Outdoor events that aren't ticketed or seated can have 200 double-vaccinated attendees. Nightclubs can reopen for double-jabbed patrons, but only with seated drinking — and dancing isn't allowed. SPORT AND RECREATION Community sport returns for double-jabbed folks. MASKS Masks are no longer required in office settings. TRAVEL Travelling anywhere within NSW is now allowed for double-vaccinated people. ON WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1 GATHERINGS No limit on at-home gatherings for both double-vaccinated and unvaccinated people. No limit on outdoor gatherings for both double-vaccinated and unvaccinated people. EVENTS Weddings and funerals no longer have attendee caps for either double-jabbed or unvaxxed attendees, but the density limit of one person per two-square-metres applies. HOSPITALITY All hospitality venues, including restaurants, bars, pubs and cafes, can now welcome in everyone — with a density cap of one person per two-square-metres both inside and outdoors. Bookings for all group sizes are allowed. Eating and drinking while standing is allowed at all venues. Dancing is allowed at all venues. RETAIL Retail stores can welcome in all customers. Personal services stores, such as hairdressers and beauty salons, can welcome in all customers — and move to a density limit of one person per two-square-metres. ENTERTAINMENT VENUES Theme parks, zoos, aquariums, stadiums, showgrounds and other major recreation facilities can welcome in all patrons, with no patron caps if seated — and the one person per two-square-metres cap applies otherwise. Entertainment and information facilities such as cinemas, theatres, musical halls, concert halls, dance halls, drive-in cinemas, art galleries and museums can welcome in all patrons, with no patron caps if seated — and the one person per two-square-metres cap applies otherwise. No patron caps are required for outdoor events that are both ticketed and seated, but COVID-19 Safety Plans are needed if there'll be more than 1000 attendees. Nightclubs can welcome in all patrons, with a capacity cap of one person per four-square-metres. Both drinking while standing and dancing is now allowed at nightclubs. Amusement centres can now reopen, with the one person per two-square-metres density cap. SPORT AND RECREATION Gyms can welcome in all patrons, and move to a density limit of one person per two-square-metres, with no class limits. Indoor recreation facilities can welcome in all patrons, and move to a density limit of one person per two-square-metres. Indoor pools can reopen for all purposes and to all patrons. Community sport returns for everyone. MASKS Masks are only required on public transport, planes and airports — and for indoor front-of-house hospitality staff. TRAVEL Travelling anywhere within NSW is allowed for all NSW residents. Carpooling is permitted for everyone. For more information about the NSW roadmap out of lockdown, head to the NSW Government website. Top image: Cassandra Hannagan.