The NSW government has unveiled a series of COVID-19 rule relaxations as has been promised for days now.
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Greater Sydney's lockdown will continue until the end of September while the regional NSW lockdown has been extended until Friday, September 10.
However from mid-September people who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 will enjoy additional "freedoms". You can check out the dot point version here - or get all the details below.
Outside LGAs of concern
From 12.01am on Monday, September 13, for people who live outside the local government areas of concern, gatherings of up to five people (including children, all adults must be vaccinated) will be allowed in a person's LGA or within 5kms from home.
Within LGAs of concern
From 12.01am on Monday, September 13, for people who live in the LGAs of concern, households with all adults vaccinated will be able to gather outdoors for recreation (including picnics) within the existing rules. This is for one hour only, outside the 9pm to 5am curfew and within 5 km from home. This recreation hour is in addition to the one-hour allowed in LGAs of concern for exercise.
As of Thursday, the local government areas of concern remained: Bayside, Blacktown, Burwood, Campbelltown, Canterbury-Bankstown, Cumberland, Fairfield, Georges River, Liverpool, Parramatta, Strathfield and the Penrith suburbs of Caddens, Claremont Meadows, Colyton, Erskine Park, Kemps Creek, Kingswood, Mount Vernon, North St Marys, Orchard Hills, Oxley Park, St Clair and St Marys.
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'Freedoms' down the track
Ms Berejiklian and Deputy Premier John Barilaro have touched on the further freedoms that will be allowed when the following vaccination targets are met.
At 70 per cent double dose vaccinations a range of family, industry, community and economic restrictions to be lifted for those who are vaccinated.
Once that mark hits 80 per cent restrictions on industry, community and the economy will be further eased.
Meanwhile NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard has signed off on changes to the public health order affecting nominated visitors, exercise and recreation during visits on compassionate grounds, and funerals or memorial services held outdoors.
You can read all the amendments here.
The amendment now allows a person who leaves their residence for compassionate reasons to accompany the person they are visiting "when the other person is undertaking exercise or outdoor recreation authorised by this Order".
Exercise and outdoor recreation is allowed within a person's local government area or, if leaving the LGA, no more than five kilometres from home. For people in the LGAs of concern, exercise is limited to one hour per day, within five kilometres of home, and recreation is not allowed.
For outdoor gatherings, including in LGAs of concern, the order has been amended to specify "a gathering for a small funeral or memorial service" is allowed.
Funerals and memorial services are capped at 10 people, excluding the person conducting the service.
A slight change has been made to the nominated visitor or "singles bubble" process that allows people who live alone to have a social visitor. A nominated visitor cannot be one for someone else.
Eligibility to be a nominated visitor for a person now applies in either of the following situations: no other individual has been a nominated visitor for the person, or "the nominated visitor of the person becomes unable to be the person's nominated visitor".
The purpose of the amendment is to enable a person to select a new visitor in the circumstances.
For those in LGAs of concern, their visitor must live within five kilometres and since August 21 they have been required to be registered on the Service NSW website.
Changes to real estate rules, second homes in regional centres
Adjustments have also been made to the "moving home or inspecting property" reasonable excuse to leave home, with three reasons for a person to leave their place of residence: to move to a new place of residence, inspect real property, or move between places of residence of the person.
The previous clause, to "inspect a potential new place of residence for the person" has been omitted.
A permit system to enter regional NSW began last weekend, requiring anyone who wishes to inspect real estate to "genuinely need a home to live in". This is not allowed for investment properties.
Travelling to a second home in regional NSW is only allowed if it is being used as work accommodation or for urgent maintenance and repairs, and if so, only one person may travel there.
How to prove your vaccination status
The state government said vaccination status could be proved by:
- Download your COVID-19 digital certificate via the Express Plus Medicare mobile app or your Medicare online account through myGov.
- You can add your COVID-19 digital certificate to your Apple Wallet or Google Pay.
- Instructions are available on the Services Australia website.
- If you can't get proof online, your vaccination provider can print your immunisation history statement for you.
- Call the Australian Immunisation Register on 1800 653 809 (Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm) and ask for your statement to be sent to you. It can take up to 14 days to arrive in the post.