‘No singing, no dancing, no mingling’: NSW tightens venue rules even further
NSW is reimposing stricter limits on gatherings at all indoor venues as it tries to contain the Crossroads Hotel coronavirus outbreak.
The tighter rules, which will apply from July 24, come on top of already stricter measures that came into force on Friday (July 17) as the COVID outbreak spread further across south-western Sydney.
They apply to all indoor functions and venues across NSW, including weddings and funerals.
“No dancing, no singing, no mingling,” Premier Gladys Berejiklian said on Friday.
NSW venue rules – from July 24
- Apply to all pubs, clubs, restaurants, cafes, and other indoor venues;
- Group bookings restricted to 10 people;
- Maximum of 150 people at weddings and corporate events;
- All venues must comply with the four-square-metre rule – meaning smaller venues might have lower limits;
- Funerals and places of worship limited to 100 people (four-square-metre rule also applies).
- Full details here
NSW residents will still be allowed to have up to 20 people in their homes.
“But in the next little while we ask people to be thoughtful about who they welcome, how many they welcome and especially protect those most vulnerable,” Ms Berejiklian said.
The renewed restrictions were announced as NSW reported eight more coronavirus infections on Friday – six from community transmission. There are now 42 infections linked to the Crossroads Hotel – including 27 who did not visit the pub during the week of concern.
“We have to assume there is a level of community transmission and these measures will reduce the risk of that community transmission getting out of control,” Ms Berejiklian said.
Chief health officer Kerry Chant said up to four chains of transmission had been picked up in the outbreak spreading from the Casula pub.
“That highlights the rapidity and the speed with which this virus can move through the community,” she said.
Among regional locations of concern reported on Friday was the Wetherill Park Shopping Centre, where five recently diagnosed cases have spent time.
“While we’ve got a strong focus on the Crossroads cluster and the activities in south-western Sydney, it is important that we are not complacent about the risk existing in other parts of the state,” Dr Chant said.
- See a full list of locations of concern here
While anyone with symptoms is urged to be tested for COVID, authorities are urging everyone in south-western Sydney to have a test if they have been at one of the sites of concern. This was particularly true for young people, whose coronavirus symptoms are sometimes so mild they don’t even register them.
Dr Chant said all testing sites in south-western Sydney, including several that were due to shut on Friday, would remain open to deal with massive demand.
