NSW has reported eight new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, as Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced slightly eased restrictions for Sydney over the Christmas break.
The northern beaches will be split into two zones at Narrabeen Bridge on Thursday, with those in the northern part of the region (north of the bridge and east of the Baha'i Temple at Mona Vale Road) essentially remaining in lockdown.
From Thursday to Saturday, those in the northern part of the zone will be able to have five people from that area visit their home.
During the same Christmas period, people in the southern zone of the northern beaches will be allowed to have up to 10 guests to their home, who may come from outside of the region.
All northern beaches residents will not be allowed to leave the area.
From Thursday to Saturday, eased restrictions will be also be implemented across Greater Sydney.
While household gatherings will continue to be limited to 10 guests, children under 12 will not be included in that total of 10 from Thursday to Saturday.
Ms Berejiklian said the "modest changes" to the restrictions would be reassessed on Saturday.
"Whilst we appreciate the modest changes we've made over the next three days, we also accept and respect the fact that many families and individuals may choose not to take up that opportunity because of concerns they may have for vulnerable members of their family, or because they're worried about acquiring or the virus or contributing to transmission," she said.
"We ask everybody to make those assessments."
Health Minister Brad Hazzard said people over 70 or with comorbidities should "seriously" reconsider having guests to their home this weekend.
"If they do, try and do it outside in the fresh air - perhaps on a balcony, perhaps outside somewhere - so that you minimise the risks," Mr Hazzard said.
Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant said people were being discouraged from visiting aged care facilities in the northern beaches over the Christmas break although guidance would be provided after consultation with the aged care industry, particularly for the southern part of the northern beaches.
"The risk is too high," she said. "There will be exceptions in all cases, where someone may be at end of life and we need to take a pragmatic view."
Eight new cases, Central Coast on alert
Seven of the eight cases on Wednesday were associated with the northern beaches cluster, which is now at 97 cases. NSW recorded more than 42,000 tests in the 24 hours to 8pm on Tuesday, after a record 44,466 tests were reported in the previous 24 hours.
Dr Chant has particularly urged Central Coast residents to come forward for testing after two cases were connected to the area. Virus fragments have been detected through sewage testing in the Gosford area.
A Central Coast resident is included in the northern beaches cluster, and another case from western Sydney visited Avoca, Dr Chant said.
"So there is an explanation for this but we want to take a cautious approach," she said.The Central Coast is currently subject to the same coronavirus restrictions as "greater Sydney".
Dr Chant said on Wednesday morning that a Qantas flight crew member has tested positive for coronavirus. The person flew from Sydney to Darwin on December 18 and NSW Health will liaise with its Northern Territory counterparts for contact tracing, Dr Chant said.
A case in a healthcare worker who transported symptomatic returned overseas travellers has been found to be associated with the Avalon cluster, and not overseas acquired. Dr Chant said the link was found through genome sequencing. It is not known how the person acquired the virus. A close workplace contact of the person has also tested positive and is included in Wednesday's numbers.
All businesses will also be expected to use the Service NSW QR code app by January 1, with the state government dissatisfied with levels of compliance.
"Our Health team has just been outstanding: we need to make their job easier," the Premier said.
"We've given businesses so much time to comply and to make sure the QR codes are in place but we remain unsatisfied with the level of compliance."
Mr Hazzard said proprietors needed to check their patrons were filling out their QR codes.
"There's a certain flippancy with the way some businesses deal with this," he said.
"Putting a sticker on a table and expecting people to remember that is just not on in a pandemic."
Northern beaches lockdown
Residents of northern beaches local government area, which stretches from Pittwater to Manly, were told on Saturday they would be subject to a strict lockdown until 11.59pm on Wednesday as contact tracers assessed the spread of a coronavirus cluster discovered in Avalon last week.
The stay at home order has seen residents only allowed to leave the house to exercise, seek medical care, provide care, attend work if unable to do so from home and shop for food or other essential goods and services just days out from Christmas.
This week, the Premier urged anyone who had been on the northern beaches since December 10 to behave like they were subject to the order.
On Sunday, a public health order was also put in place for Sydney, the Central Coast, the Illawarra and the Blue Mountains restricting household gatherings to 10 guests and reintroducing the four square metre rule for all indoor venues.
Since the cluster was discovered last week, every other state and territory has placed travel restrictions on people from NSW, wrecking Christmas plans for many with family interstate.
More to come
Mary Ward is a health reporter at The Sydney Morning Herald.
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2020-12-23 00:20:00Z
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