NSW restrictions further ease as state reaching a 90 per cent double-dose vaccination.
Fully vaccinated NSW residents will reap the rewards after the NSW government moved its COVID-19 roadmap forward. Premier Dominic Perrottet bringing forward the next wave of freedoms from December 1 to November 8 (today).
However unvaccinated NSW residents will not get the freedom and they will have to live little longer under lockdown conditions while the rest of the state enjoys new freedoms.
They'll only be allowed to enter essential businesses (like supermarkets), but barred from everywhere else, including hospitality venues, gyms and non-essential retail settings. The only exception is places of worship, which unvaccinated people are permitted to attend.
Premier Dominic Perrottet said the changes had been made possible by faster-than-expected vaccination rates and the introduction of booster doses.
People who are not vaccinated were originally promised more freedoms on December 1 and now they have to wait until 95 per cent of people aged 16 or over in NSW are double vaccinated, or until December 15 – whichever one comes first.
Mr Perrottet said he hoped pushing back the date for extra freedoms for the unvaccinated would encourage more people to get the jab.
Here are the changes for restrictions effective from today:
• There is no limit for household and outdoor public gatherings
• The one person per 2sq m rule applies indoor and outdoor for all businesses and venues No person or booking limits in hospitality venues and patrons can now drink standing up
• Singing and dancing is permitted indoors and outdoors for venues
• Masks will remain mandatory indoors until December 15
• No person limits for major recreation facilities such as stadiums, theme parks and racecourse (subject to density limits or 100 per cent fixed seated capacity)
• No person limit for entertainment facilities such as cinemas and theatres (subject to density limits or 100 per cent fixed seated capacity)
• No person limit for information and education facilities such as art galleries, museums and libraries (subject to density limits or 100 per cent fixed seated capacity)
• Indoor swimming pools are reopen for all purposes and community sport is permitted for all staff, spectators and participants
• There is no customer cap for personal services, such as hairdressers, spas, beauty and nail salons, tattoo and massage parlours (density limits still apply)
• Sex services premises can reopen
• Employers must allow staff to continue to work from home, if reasonably practicable
• Wedding ceremonies are permitted with no person limit or a five person limit for people who are not fully vaccinated
• Wedding receptions are permitted with no person limit subject to density rules. It is not permitted for unvaccinated people
• Funerals are permitted with no person limit or a 10-person limit for unvaccinated people
• Eating and drinking at weddings and funerals must be seated for people who are not fully vaccinated and they cannot sing or dance indoors
• Places of worship are open to all, though density limits apply
NSW has recorded 187 new COVID-19 cases and seven deaths, as the state inches closer to reaching a 90 per cent double-dose vaccination rate. Of the state’s population aged 16 and older, 89.8 per cent are fully vaccinated while 93.9 per cent have received at least one dose.
There were 52,939 tests carried out in the 24 hours to 8pm yesterday, down on the 70,276 reported on Sunday. There are 264 people in hospital with the virus, including 48 in the ICU.