End is in sight: Covid restrictions in northern New South Wales to be lifted from midnight TONIGHT
- COVID-19 restrictions in northern NSW will be lifted on Monday night at 11.59pm
- The restrictions forced the cancellation of Bluesfest and made masks mandatory
- From Monday night masks will not be mandatory and no limit house gatherings
- During the restrictions COVID-19 testing in the region increased tenfold
Coronavirus restrictions in northern NSW that led to the cancellation of Bluesfest and forced those in Byron Bay to don masks will be lifted on Monday night.
A mask mandate and other snap coronavirus restrictions will be lifted across northern NSW after the fourth day of no community transmission.
About 200,000 residents in the region have been required to don masks in most indoor public areas and limit house gatherings to no more than 30 since Wednesday.
Northern NSW was forced back into restrictions after a number of cases were recorded in the area
The restrictions, which also forced the cancellation of Bluesfest, will be lifted at 11.59pm on Monday.
‘NSW Health reminds the community that the ending of these temporary restrictions has no impact on the self-isolation requirements for the large number of people in these areas who are close contacts,’ the health department said in a statement on Monday.
‘They must continue to isolate for the full 14 days from their date of exposure and get tested again at the end of this period.’
The COVID-19 testing increased tenfold in the area after the outbreak
The restrictions were put in place after NSW diagnosed its first case linked to clusters in southeast Queensland.
Testing increased 10-fold in the region after the outbreak was confirmed.
‘These efforts have provided us with the confidence to lift the restrictions, but we are still in a period of increased risk and we urge the community to remain vigilant for the next week,’ NSW Health said.
Though no longer mandatory, mask-wearing is still strongly recommended by the health authority in public indoor settings, particularly those where physical distancing is difficult.
Some 7973 tests were reported in the 24 hours to 8pm Sunday, slightly up on the 6249 in the previous day.
Three overseas-acquired cases were recorded in hotel quarantine.
NSW Health announced that as of 11.59pm Monday, the restrictions would be lifted
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