NSW will ease COVID-19 restrictions after recording a 10th straight day with no community transmission of the virus, and extinguishing the Beralla and Avalon clusters.
From Midnight on Friday, up to 30 visitors will be allowed to attend a home, increasing the current private gathering limit from five.
Outdoor gatherings of 50 will be allowed.
Wedding and funeral caps will be lifted to 300, but venues must continue to adhere to the 4sqm rule.
Mask rules are also easing, with face coverings only mandatory on public transport, in places of worship, in gaming areas or for frontline hospitality workers.
It means in retail settings masks will no longer be required from this weekend, but should still be worn where social distancing is not possible.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the easing of restrictions was backing the state’s approach of keeping the economy open as much as possible.
“We don’t know when the pandemic is going to end but what we do know is that we have to live with it,” she said.
Troy Dodds
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.