More western NSW LGAs awake to lockdown - The Transcontinental

Tougher compliance measures are expected to be announced in NSW after eight local government areas in the state's west joined the lockdown list as COVID-19 continues to spread into the regions. A one-week snap lockdown now applies to Bogan, Bourke, Brewarrina, Coonamble, Gilgandra, Narromine, Walgett and Warren LGAs, while authorities scramble to ascertain all exposure sites. There are reports the NSW crisis cabinet on Wednesday night adopted tough new measures to deal with people defying public health orders and taking advantage of loopholes to travel out of Sydney. Premier Gladys Berejiklian, Health Minister Brad Hazzard and Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant have all blamed a lack of compliance for the alarming spread of the virus out of Greater Sydney and into the regions. Police Commissioner Mick Fuller will reportedly take control of enforcement and it's expected that permits will be required to prevent people leaving their local area. On Wednesday a 52-year-old Sydney man was charged at Lismore Hospital with breaching public health orders after travelling to Byron Bay on the north coast while COVID positive and sending the region into a snap lockdown on Monday. Crisis cabinet reportedly decided an additional 500 defence force troops will be brought in to enforce compliance and help with contact tracing and more police will patrol COVID hotspots. The latest lockdown was prompted after a man was diagnosed with COVID after being released from Bathurst jail on Monday and travelled 500km west to Walgett, visiting Dubbo and Bathurst en route. Bathurst jail is the first in NSW to record a COVID-19 positive case this year. The newly locked-down regional areas join Dubbo, Tamworth, the Northern Rivers, Armidale, Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Maitland, Port Stephens, Singleton, Dungog, and Muswellbrook. The Hunter region lockdown that's due to expire at midnight is expected to be extended as cases in the area continue to rise. Panic buying followed Dubbo town's restrictions, while a case was recorded at Dubbo West Public School. NSW reported 344 new locally acquired cases in the 24 hours to 8pm on Tuesday. On the second worst day of the eight-week outbreak, at least 101 of the new cases were circulating in the community for all or part of their infectious period. Ms Berejiklian on Wednesday reminded everyone that eligible people needed to get jabbed to reach the vaccination target, and freedom. "Two doses of 70 per cent vaccination [is the target] and NSW, if we had the current pace, we will hit that around the end of October," the premier said on Wednesday. But life won't be "back to normal" until 80 per cent of the population is vaccinated towards the end of November, the premier said, referencing the Doherty Institute modelling produced for the national cabinet. Meanwhile Wheeler Heights Public School on Sydney's northern beaches is closed on Thursday for cleaning and contact tracing after a student tested positive to COVID-19. All staff and students are asked to self-isolate and follow the NSW health advice and protocols. Luddenham Public School in Sydney's west is also closed after two students tested positive to COVID-19. Australian Associated Press

Tougher compliance measures are expected to be announced in NSW after eight local government areas in the state's west joined the lockdown list as COVID-19 continues to spread into the regions.

A one-week snap lockdown now applies to Bogan, Bourke, Brewarrina, Coonamble, Gilgandra, Narromine, Walgett and Warren LGAs, while authorities scramble to ascertain all exposure sites.

There are reports the NSW crisis cabinet on Wednesday night adopted tough new measures to deal with people defying public health orders and taking advantage of loopholes to travel out of Sydney.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian, Health Minister Brad Hazzard and Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant have all blamed a lack of compliance for the alarming spread of the virus out of Greater Sydney and into the regions.

Police Commissioner Mick Fuller will reportedly take control of enforcement and it's expected that permits will be required to prevent people leaving their local area.

On Wednesday a 52-year-old Sydney man was charged at Lismore Hospital with breaching public health orders after travelling to Byron Bay on the north coast while COVID positive and sending the region into a snap lockdown on Monday.

Crisis cabinet reportedly decided an additional 500 defence force troops will be brought in to enforce compliance and help with contact tracing and more police will patrol COVID hotspots.

The latest lockdown was prompted after a man was diagnosed with COVID after being released from Bathurst jail on Monday and travelled 500km west to Walgett, visiting Dubbo and Bathurst en route.

Bathurst jail is the first in NSW to record a COVID-19 positive case this year.

The newly locked-down regional areas join Dubbo, Tamworth, the Northern Rivers, Armidale, Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Maitland, Port Stephens, Singleton, Dungog, and Muswellbrook.

The Hunter region lockdown that's due to expire at midnight is expected to be extended as cases in the area continue to rise.

Panic buying followed Dubbo town's restrictions, while a case was recorded at Dubbo West Public School.

NSW reported 344 new locally acquired cases in the 24 hours to 8pm on Tuesday.

On the second worst day of the eight-week outbreak, at least 101 of the new cases were circulating in the community for all or part of their infectious period.

Ms Berejiklian on Wednesday reminded everyone that eligible people needed to get jabbed to reach the vaccination target, and freedom.

"Two doses of 70 per cent vaccination [is the target] and NSW, if we had the current pace, we will hit that around the end of October," the premier said on Wednesday.

But life won't be "back to normal" until 80 per cent of the population is vaccinated towards the end of November, the premier said, referencing the Doherty Institute modelling produced for the national cabinet.

Meanwhile Wheeler Heights Public School on Sydney's northern beaches is closed on Thursday for cleaning and contact tracing after a student tested positive to COVID-19.

All staff and students are asked to self-isolate and follow the NSW health advice and protocols.

Luddenham Public School in Sydney's west is also closed after two students tested positive to COVID-19.

Australian Associated Press

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2021-08-11 17:31:05Z
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