Overview
When 2020 came to an end and 2021 began, it did so with fluctuating restrictions in the Greater Sydney area in response to recent COVID-19 outbreaks, including in the northern beaches. But, before January wraps up, those rules will start easing — with the first relaxed changes coming into effect from 12.01am on Friday, January 29.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian made the announcement today, Wednesday, January 27, after pre-empting last week that changes were likely to come into effect this week of case numbers remained low. The NSW Government didn't want to loosen the restrictions before January 26, however, because it didn't want the public holiday to become a super-seeding event.
Come Friday, households will be allowed to welcome 30 visitors (including children). For outdoor gatherings — in public, such as picnics and barbecues — the new limit is 50 people. Weddings and funerals will be allowed to have 300 attendees, too, as long as they comply with the one person per four-square-metre rule. That said, only 20 people can dance at weddings, so that rule isn't easing yet.
For venues in the the state — which includes hospitality venues — the one person per four-square-metre rule is still in effect as well. But, in a new change, the cap of 300 people is being scrapped.
Also sticking around: wearing masks, but they'll only be mandatory on public transport, in health settings, in gaming rooms, for front-of-house hospitality workers, for folks going to a place of worship, and for anyone attending a beauty or hairdressing salon. They won't be compulsory for retail workers or for anyone going shopping — including at supermarkets — but they remain recommended if you're unable to socially distance.
The changes announced today don't completely roll the restrictions back to the same rules that were in effect before the Avalon cluster; however, if there is no further community transmission related to the recent outbreak in Sydney's southwest, more rules will be relaxed in a fortnight. That's when venues are likely to be able to go back to the one person per two-square-metre rule, and weddings and funerals should be able to as well.
The announcement comes as NSW recorded no new locally acquired COVID-19 cases in the 24 hours to 8pm on Tuesday, January 27 — a pattern that has remained for the past ten days. That said, the most recent hours come after 9723 tests, which both Premier Berejiklian and NSW Health notes is low.
As always, NSW residents are asked to continue to get tested immediately if you experience even the mildest of COVID-19 symptoms.
For more information about the status of COVID-19 in NSW, head to the NSW Health website.