The stay-at-home orders in Greater Sydney, Newcastle and the Hunter will be extended across the entire state from 5pm today (Saturday 14 August) until 12.01am on 22 August.
NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro said on social media the decision was made to minimise movement and protect regional NSW communities from the spread of COVID-19.
It comes after the state detected 466 cases overnight, with at least 60, but likely more, in the community during their infectious period.
Everyone in NSW must stay home unless they have a reasonable excuse to leave.
They also cannot have social visitors in their homes from outside their household, including family and friends.
Reasonable excuses to leave your home include:
- Shopping for essential items
- Medical care
- Caregiving
- To work where you cannot work from home
- Outdoor exercise with a member of your household or one other person
Harsher penalties will also be introduced for anyone who breaks the lockdown rules, including higher fines, an increased police presence, and a permit system to enter regional parts of the state.
The 10-kilometre rule will be reduced to 5, meaning shopping, exercise and outdoor recreation must be done in a person’s local government area (LGA) or, if outside their LGA, within 5 kilometres of home
From Monday 16 August fines will be increased to:
- $5,000 on the spot for breaching self-isolation rules
- $5,000 on the spot for lying on a permit (already a criminal offence)
- $5,000 for lying to a contact tracer (already a criminal offence)
- $3,000 on the spot for breaching the two person outdoor exercise/recreation rule
- $3,000 for breaching rules around entry into regional NSW for authorised work, inspecting real estate and travelling to your second home.
Anyone who has even the mildest of symptoms or is a close or casual contact of a person with COVID-19, needs to self-isolate and seek testing immediately.
For more information on exposure sites or testing clinics, go to the NSW Health website.
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