Border trouble as more cases of community transmission detected in NSW
Queensland could close its borders again after two cases were recorded in people returning from Victoria.
More of the NSW community has been put on high alert for COVID-19 symptoms as three more cases were added to the Potts Point cluster on Tuesday evening.
Up to 50 cars waited in line to be tested at the Bondi Beach drive-through COVID-19 test clinic on Tuesday.Credit:Jessica Hromas
NSW Education Minister Sarah Mitchell said she has instructed principals to allow teachers to wear masks in the state's schools, as some teachers report being discouraged from doing so.
"We have made it very clear that masks aren't required, but we've also let our principals know that if any of our teachers want to wear their mask they can and they should be supported by their school," Ms Mitchell told 2GB this morning.
"The same goes for students ... particularly this term, if there's a sense of comfort that comes from wearing the mask."
The Department of Education has sent out masks along with other personal protective equipment for schools' sick bays, but if teachers want to wear a mask they will need to provide their own, Ms Mitchell said.
NSW has recorded more than 30 coronavirus cases connected to schools in its public, Catholic and independent sectors. Bayanami Public School, near Parramatta in Sydney's west, was closed on Wednesday after a case in a student was confirmed on Tuesday evening.
On Wednesday morning Queensland confirmed its first two cases outside hotel quarantine since May, with the state's Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young labelling the behaviour of those two women "reckless".
Two women who entered Queensland from Victoria have been diagnosed with COVID-19 and police were investigating how those women entered the state, and why they were active in the community for eight days when they should have been self-isolating.
"These young women have gone about their business within the community they live in so there will be a large amount of contact tracing to be done," Queensland Health Minister Steven Miles said on Wednesday morning.
Dr Young said officials needed to act "really fast" to clamp down on any further spread.
"I’m very disappointed, I think it was reckless," she said.
More patrons of businesses in Sydney have been asked to look out for symptoms after a nail salon worker was diagnosed with the coronavirus.
The woman worked at Professionail, within Westfield Hurstville, on July 22 and 23. Her case has been linked with the western Sydney funeral cluster.
All close contacts of the case have been identified and directed to self-isolate for 14 days. Casual contacts have also been identified and told to monitor for symptoms.
Dr Vicky Sheppeard, deputy director of South Eastern Sydney local health district's public health unit said there was no broader risk for people who visited Westfield Hurstville, and the business has conducted a deep clean.
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