Overview
New month, new Premier, new plan for what life looks like once Sydney's lengthy lockdown ends. That's how October is unfurling in New South Wales, with newly appointed Premier Dominic Perrottet announcing today, Thursday, October 7, that the state's roadmap out of stay-at-home conditions has just been given a tweak.
Less that two weeks ago, then-Premier Gladys Berejiklian revealed the NSW's full roadmap out of lockdown; however, a lot can change in a short period, as the pandemic keeps demonstrating — and as NSW politics has this past week as well. So, Premier Perrottet has eased a number of rules and restrictions, with the changes effective next week.
On Monday, October 11, Sydney's lockdown will end, as NSW has now officially hit the 70-percent fully vaccinated mark. As part of the original plan, stay-at-home conditions were always set to ease on the Monday after that threshold was met, and that's still staying the same.
That said, fully vaccinated adults will be able to spend more time in more places with more people come Monday, with rules around gatherings both at home and in public loosening even further than initially outlined. So, double-jabbed folks will be allowed to have ten people over to their homes (up from the previously announced five-person limit, and not including children under 12) and also gather outdoors in groups of 30 (up from 20). Also, weddings and funerals will permit 100 attendees (up from 50).
Also changing: the restrictions around indoor pools. They'll be reopening for swimming lessons, squad training, lap swimming and rehab sessions on Monday, October 11, too.
We're moving forward with our staged NSW reopening. A few adjustments to Monday's 70% relaxations and further easing once we hit 80% double vaccinated. pic.twitter.com/UJtcgvrKZb
— Dom Perrottet (@Dom_Perrottet) October 6, 2021
Other than that, the settings previously outlined for the 70-percent double-jabbed mark will remain in place — but Perrottet has also tweaked the roadmap for the 80-percent fully vaxxed mark as well. That second set of changes will still only apply to people who've had both jabs, a requirement that isn't shifting until the beginning of December. And, they're still set to come in on the Monday after that 80-percent threshold is met.
So, when that happens — which is expected to be in just a couple of weeks — at-home visitor caps will go up to 20 for double-jabbed folks, and outdoor gathering limits will go up to 50. Also, controlled and ticketed events will be allowed to welcome in 3000 people, which is a big jump from the previously advised 500-person limit.
Nightclubs will also be allowed to reopen for seated drinking – so, no dancing, Footloose-style — at 80-percent fully vaxxed.
Also, that 80-percent mark is when you can stop wearing masks in office buildings.
"If we continue to work together, if we continue to make the effort and make the sacrifices that we have all been making, NSW will be open again — and that ensures we get back to work and get businesses open and get the economy and society back to where it was before this pandemic began," Perrottet said.
"We're incredibly confident. We have to learn to live alongside this virus. And the key to learning to live alongside the virus is a high vaccination rate. And we want everybody to go out and get vaccinated. We can get, as the Health Minister has said, close to 100 percent. We're going to get above 90 percent. We have one of the highest vaccination rates not just in the country but globally, and that means we can open up safely and never go back. And that's what we're on the cusp of," the Premier continued.
Perrottet didn't announce any changes to the final change of the roadmap, which is due to kick in on Wednesday, December 1 — the phase that Berejiklian called "COVID-normal". So, at that point, the roadmap will include unvaccinated people at the same settings, which scrap limits on gatherings at home and outdoors, and implement lower density rules at venues and events.
Also part of today's announcement, NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard revealed that 587 new COVID-19 cases were recorded in the 24 hours to 8pm on Wednesday, October 6.
Wondering where you can currently get vaccinated? There's a handy online map that helps you find your nearest clinic. Keen to keep an eye on vaccination rates? A heap of online resources will help you do that as well.
For more information about New South Wales' reopening roadmap, head to the NSW Government website. For more information about the status of COVID-19 in NSW, head to the NSW Health website.