Three More Greater Sydney LGAs Are Being Placed Under Tighter Lockdown Restrictions

With the Greater Sydney region in lockdown for seven weeks now, and set to stay under stay-at-home requirements until at least Saturday, August 28, everyone who lives in the city has been under strict rules regarding leaving the house. In some areas, the restrictions have been tighter than others, however — and three more parts of Sydney will be under those additional rules from 5pm today, Thursday, August 12.

From this afternoon onwards, folks in the Bayside, Strathfield and Burwood Local Government Areas will be placed under the same tighter rules currently in place in the Parramatta, Georges River, Campbelltown, Fairfield, Canterbury-Bankstown, Liverpool, Blacktown and Cumberland LGAs, and in 12 suburbs in the Penrith LGA as well. Residents in these areas are only permitted to travel five kilometres from home in general, and may only leave their homes for work outside their areas if they're considered authorised workers. Also required: wearing masks whenever they leave the house.

At New South Wales' daily COVID-19 press conference, Premier Gladys Berejiklian advised that the Bayside, Strathfield and Burwood LGAs are now considered areas of concerned due to their case numbers. "In relation to Bayside, the suburbs of particular concern are Bexley, Banksia and Rockdale, where additional cases have been identified overnight — so if you live in though suburbs in particular, please come forward and get tested," she said. "In Strathfield and Burwood, which are geographically smaller areas, we are noticing relative to the population an increasing number of cases — and as a precaution, those additional council areas have been brought into those areas of concern."

Due to increasing concerns about community transmission, Burwood, Strathfield and Bayside Local Government Area (LGA) will now have additional restrictions from 5pm today, in line with previously identified LGAs of concern and 12 suburbs in Penrith LGA.

— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) August 12, 2021

The three LGAs about to come under tighter conditions are bound by the overarching stay-at-home rules that apply to the rest of Greater Sydney, too. So, as has been the case since late June, everyone can still only leave the house for four specific essential reasons: to work and study if you can't do it from home; for essential shopping; for exercise outdoors; and for compassionate reasons, which includes medical treatment, getting a COVID-19 test and getting vaccinated.

Also, only businesses deemed "critical retail" are permitted to remain open. Stores that can continue to welcome in customers include supermarkets, grocery stores, butchers, bakeries, fruit and vegetable stores, liquor stores and fishmongers; pharmacies and chemists; and shops that primarily sell health, medical, maternity and infant supplies. Also allowed to stay open: pet supply shops, post offices, newsagencies, office supply stores, petrol stations, car hire places, banks, hardware shops, nurseries, and places that sell building, agricultural and rural goods.

Any retail premises that don't fall into the above categories are closed to physical customers, but they can do takeaways, home deliveries, and click and collect orders. If you need supplies, only one person from each household can go out shopping each day to buy essential items — and browsing is prohibited, too.

Carpooling is still off the cards, unless you're in a vehicle with members of your own household. And, you can still only exercise in groups of two outdoors — or as a household.

NSW recorded 345 new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night.

Of these locally acquired cases, 128 are linked to a known case or cluster – 101 household contacts & 27 close contacts – & the source of infection for 217 cases is under investigation. pic.twitter.com/aphtK5nZfO

— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) August 12, 2021

The Premier also noted that residents of two other parts of Sydney should be particularly cautious as well, even though rules aren't changing in these specific areas at the moment. "We are asking also people who live in the Inner West and Camden to be on extra watch and alert, and health authorities are watching the cases in those areas very closely.

The stricter restrictions in the Bayside, Strathfield and Burwood LGAs come into effect as NSW reported 345 new locally acquired COVID-19 cases identified to 8pm on Wednesday, August 11, with only 116 cases in isolation for their entire contagious period.

As always, Sydneysiders are also asked to continue to frequently check NSW Health's long list of locations and venues that positive coronavirus cases have visited. If you've been to anywhere listed on the specific dates and times, you'll need to get tested immediately and follow NSW Health's self-isolation instructions.

In terms of symptoms, you should be looking out for coughs, fever, sore or scratchy throat, shortness of breath, or loss of smell or taste — and getting tested at a clinic if you have any.

The Bayside, Strathfield and Burwood Local Government Areas will be placed under stricter lockdown conditions from 5pm on Thursday, August 12. Greater Sydney, the Blue Mountains, the Central Coast, Wollongong and Shellharbour remain in lockdown until at least 12.01am on Saturday, August 28. For more information about the status of COVID-19 in NSW, head to the NSW Health website.