New South Wales is tightening COVID-19 restrictions in an effort to stamp out the current outbreak of the virus.
More retail stores will be forced to close under the new rules, despite no transmission of COVID-19 in a retail environment since the lockdown was called.
And in a dramatic move, all non-urgent construction and maintenance will be paused.
It will likely lead to tens of thousands of more people being put out of work.
The new rules include:
- From midnight, only critical retail can remain open. This includes supermarkets, pharmacies, petrol stations, banks, pet supplies, post offices, liquor stores, newsagents and hardware and building supplies, among others.
- Other retailers can provide click and collect services.
- Restaurants can continue to provide takeaway and delivery services.
- Car pooling will not be allowed.
- Residents in the Fairfield, Liverpool and Canterbury-Bankstown area cannot leave their Local Government Areas, even for work.
- There will be a pause on all construction sites until July 30.
“It’s not good enough for us to tread water, which is what we’re doing now,” NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said.
“We’ve certainly prevented thousands of thousands of cases but we haven’t managed to quash the curve.”
NSW recorded 82,000 tests in the 24 hours to 8pm last night. 111 new cases of COVID-19 were reported, with 29 infectious in the community.
Troy Dodds is the Weekender’s Managing Editor and Breaking News Reporter. He has more than 20 years experience as a journalist, working with some of Australia’s leading media organisations. In 2023, he was named Editor of the Year at the Mumbrella Publish Awards.
