THE lockdown for regional and rural NSW has been extended to midnight on Friday September 10th.
The NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said there has been stabilisation across the regions, but western NSW is still an area of concern and precautions are required.
“Given that acute situation in western NSW and Dubbo particular, the regional lockdown will be extended to all of regional NSW until at least midnight Friday 10th September,” said Premier Berejiklian.
“We do appreciate there are many communities in the regions that don’t have any cases, that have never had any cases and they are really wanting to come out of lockdown, but as a precaution the health advise says we should extend the lockdown to all of regional NSW until Friday 10th September.”
The Deputy Premier John Barilaro said we are sitting on a knife edge in the regions, and we need to take pressure off the health system.
“We have areas of concern like western NSW and the far west and we still have cases in the Illawarra, the Hunter and New England and Central Coast and at the same time as Dr Chant has touched on, sewage surveillance is showing fragments in parts of regional and rural NSW where we have no known cases,” said Mr Barilaro.
“The decision to extend the lockdown is one to protect communities and protect the regions. We are sitting on a knife edge, and it is a tinderbox ready to explode and I do apologise for those communities that don’t have cases today, but I put it this way, the reason you may not have cases is because of the restrictions in place minimising movement because we know we are very interconnected community in regional rural NSW.”
Cooma Sewage Surveillance
For the Snowy Monaro region, Cooma has recently detected fragments of the virus that causes COVID-19 at their sewage treatment plant that serves approximately 8,000 people. There have been no confirmed case in the Snowy Monaro.
Commenting directly on the Cooma fragments detected, Mr Barilaro said the first thing is to not panic just because there is a sewage surveillance.
"It does mean that people must be vigilant, even if you've got the slightest sniffle, please go get tested. What we'll now look at is like in Merimbula, could they be connected, we don't know. We'll increase the ability to get tested in the first instance, will again get further samples in relations to Cooma and then adjoining communities, and we need to get on top of it so at this stage be alert, not alarmed and get tested if you have any symptoms."
Mr Barilaro said Southern Area Health will make a decision about what needs to happen with increase testing in the region, and access to tests.
Commenting on what could happen if there is a positive case.
"Whenever we then go from say an exposure site sewage surveillance, and then identifying a case, and especially if that case is being in the community while infectious, well that then ramps up a very different protocol and again but that's all within the processes and framework, how health responds to a situation. Fingers crossed, it's not a case, fingers crossed, someone passing through, but we still don't know."
Mr Barilaro said the fragments detected last year in the Perisher sewage, which did not eventuate to any local case were different. "Remembering last year was the alpha strain nothing like the delta strain, the delta strain strikes harder. So therefore whatever we did last year may not apply."
The presence of these fragments could signal undetected cases in these communities. If you have even the mildest of symptoms, please come forward and get tested.
Health authorities have increased testing capacity in Cooma and Jindabyne to ensure that everyone who needs to be tested, is tested. A number of testing clinics are also operating in Queanbeyan.
For a full list of clinics and operating hours in our region, head to: http://www.snswlhd.health.nsw.gov.au/.../infecti.../covid-19.
Snow Resorts
With the lockdown continued, the NSW snow resorts of Thredbo, Perisher and Charlotte Pass will remain closed.
Snowy Mountains Magazine asked Mr Barilaro about where this current lockdown now leaves the the snow resorts with only limited weeks then left in the official snow season after September 10.
"They've been in touch with me," said Mr Barilaro.
"We'll continue to talk to the resorts, they'll have to make a commercial decision at some point about holding staff, not holding staff. Do they just right off the season, I mean I think someone will make that decision on their own accord, because it only does leave about two and a half weeks left in their season if that's the case, but we'll keep those conversations going but at this stage for the next two weeks, we're definitely going to be in a restricted and lockdown arrangement."
Thredbo resort have stated today they are still committed to opening after the lockdown.
"The health and safety of our guests, employees and community is our highest priority. Following the NSW Government announcement on 26 August, Thredbo will continue to pause its winter season until we are able to open again,” said Stuart Diver, Thredbo Resort General Manager.
"While we are incredibly disappointed to see the temporary closure of our resort, we are committed to playing our part in ensuring the health and safety of our guests, teams and our community. We will continue to monitor the situation and are working closely with NSW Health.”
"We plan to reopen as soon as we are able to and look forward to welcoming our guests back to the mountain soon.”
The lockdown has severely affected businesses who mostly rely on tourist visitation. It was hoped local government areas with no cases may have been able to open, but with Cooma now showing fragments in their sewage, that certainly scuppered that notion of potentially opening in the Snowy Monaro.
Perisher have also released a statement today.
“The announcement of the regional lockdown extension is more difficult news for our Perisher community, guests and employees. It’s a very uncertain time for the whole region and sadly our lifts will have to remain closed until at least 10 Sep. We encourage everyone to stay safe and do their bit so we can all get out of lockdown as soon as possible,” said Pete Brulisauer, Chief Operating Officer Australia and Perisher.
As the biggest snow resort with the most visitation, the greater Sydney lockdown has heavily impacted Perisher who offered free Epic Coverage refunds to their season pass holders. The amount of pass refunds is not known publicly, but it would be a substantial number totalling tens of millions of dollars in refunds.
Get Vaccinated
The total number of vaccines administered in NSW is now 6,280,700, with 2,304,017 doses administered by NSW Health to 8pm last night and 3,976,683 administered by the GP network and other providers to 11:59pm on Tuesday 24 August 2021.
People across NSW who have received both doses of a COVID-19 vaccine will be allowed more freedoms next month after NSW hit the target of six million jabs.
This is the first step in the roadmap and further freedoms will follow for those who have had the jab when the state hits new vaccination targets of 70 and 80 per cent.
The following individual freedoms will be allowed for adults who have received both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.
From 12.01am, Monday, 13 September:
- For those who live outside the LGAs of concern, outdoor gatherings of up to five people (including children, all adults must be vaccinated) will be allowed in a person’s LGA or within 5km of home.
As part of the roadmap when the following targets are hit, freedoms will be as follows:
- 70 per cent full vaccination: a range of family, industry, community and economic restrictions to be lifted for those who are vaccinated.
- 80 per cent full vaccination: further easing of restrictions on industry, community and the economy.
