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Here's the Full List of Eased Restrictions at Each Stage of NSW's Roadmap Out of Lockdown

Sydney has reopened after almost four months in lockdown — and if you're wondering what you can do, what's changed and what's still to come, we've run through the details.
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October 11, 2021

Overview

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.

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