PORT Macquarie-Hastings, Kempsey and now Mid Coast local government areas on the Mid North Coast are among regions across NSW to have stay-at-home lockdown orders lifted from Saturday.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
NSW Health reviewed the status of the Mid Coast local government area (which extends from Johns River in the north and south the Taree, Forster, Gloucester, Hawks Nest and Tea Gardens) on Friday night (September 10).
The region was not included in initial lockdown lift announcements due to one positive case in Booral, near Stroud. The LGA will now join the rest of the Mid North Cost on Saturday to emerge from stay-at-home orders.
In all locations, masks stay on indoors and community sport remains off the table for now.
Stage one of opening up for many parts of regional and rural NSW comes with a cautionary warning. Presentation of any new cases will mean the lockdown rules will be immediately back in play for a minimum of 14 days in a bid to minimise spread and protect the regions.
Read more:
The following freedoms will be available to all residents in regional LGAs where stay-at-home orders will be lifted from Saturday, September 11:
Gatherings in the home and public spaces:
- Up to five visitors will be allowed in a home (not including children 12 and under).
- Up to 20 people can gather in outdoor settings.
Venues including hospitality, retail stores and gyms:
- Hospitality venues can reopen subject to one person per 4sqm inside and one person per 2sqm outside, with standing while drinking permitted outside.
- Retail stores can reopen under the one person per 4sqm rule.
- Personal services such as hairdressers and nail salons can open with one person per 4sqm, capped at five clients per premises.
- Gyms and indoor recreation facilities can open under the one person per 4sqm rule and can offer classes for up to 20 people.
- Sporting facilities including swimming pools can reopen.
Schools:
- Schools will re-open with Level 3 COVIDSafe measures in place. Check with your school for details.
- Stadiums, theatres and major outdoor recreation facilities:
- Major recreation outdoor facilities including stadiums, racecourses, theme parks and zoos can reopen with one person per 4sqm, capped at 5,000 people.
- Up to 500 people can attend ticketed and seated outdoor events.
- Indoor entertainment and information facilities including cinemas, theatres, music halls, museums and galleries can reopen with one person per 4sqm or 75 per cent fixed seated capacity.
Weddings, funerals and places of worship:
- Up to 50 guests can attend weddings, with dancing permitted and eating and drinking only while seated.
- Up to 50 guests can attend funerals, with eating and drinking while seated.
- Churches and places of worship to open subject to one person per 4sqm rule, with no singing.
Travel:
- Caravan parks and camping grounds can open.
- Carpooling will be permitted.
Masks:
- Masks will remain mandatory for all indoor public venues, including public transport, front-of-house hospitality, retail and business premises, on planes and at airports.
- Only hospitality staff will be required to wear a mask when outdoors.
- Children aged under 12 will not need to wear a mask indoors.
Stay-at-home orders remain in place in the following LGAs:
- Bathurst
- Bega
- Blayney
- Bogan
- Bourke
- Brewarrina
- Broken Hill
- Cabonne
- Central Coast
- Central Darling
- Cessnock
- Dubbo
- Dungog
- Eurobodalla
- Forbes
- Gilgandra
- Goulburn Mulwarre
- Kiama
- Lake Macquarie
- Lithgow
- Maitland
- Mid-Western
- Muswellbrook
- Narrabri
- Narromine
- Newcastle
- Orange
- Parkes
- Port Stephens
- Queanbeyan-Palerang
- Shellharbour
- Shoalhaven
- Singleton
- Snowy Monaro
- Upper Hunter
- Walgett
- Wingecarribee
