Zero new local COVID-19 cases in NSW, up to 30 people allowed to gather
Not a single person in the NSW community has been diagnosed with COVID-19 since Saturday, as health authorities green-light larger gatherings at restaurants, cafes, weddings and corporate events.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian is looking to Christmas, encouraging families and workplaces to celebrate by eating out, raising the cap on group bookings to 30 people.
No new local cases of COVID-19 have been detected in NSW, and, despite a woeful testing total below 7000 people in the last 24-our reporting period, the low number of cases detected over the weekend was enough to inspire a further easing of restrictions.
From Friday October 23, hospitality venues can take group bookings of 30 people - a tripling of the previous 10-people rule.
The 4-square-metre rule between tables indoors, and the 2-square-metre rule outdoors still applies.
"This is good news and allows people to prepare for Christmas and their celebrations over summer," Ms Berejiklian said.
The maximum number of people allowed to gather outdoors for picnics or barbeques has also been raised from 20 to 30 from Friday, but gatherings inside private homes was still capped at 20.
The Premier recommended people consider eating out for their Christmas lunch.
"I do want families and friends to consider having their Christmas lunches and other festive events ... booked in a COVID-safe environment," Ms Berejiklian said.
"The health experts have given us advice that it could actually be safer to go to a restaurant or somewhere which is COVID-safe to have your Christmas lunch than indoors in a confined space and we want everybody to think about their plans and to plan ahead.
"We have to be really careful in our social distancing, so unless you [live] in the same household please maintain a level of social distancing and also in particular protect the elderly, protect the most vulnerable."
From December 1, weddings will be able to have up to 300 people so long as guests are sitting down and organisers have a COVID-safe plan.
Since last Friday, corporate events can have 300 people at any hospitality venue so long as it complies with restrictions. Businesses must use electronic methods, like QR codes, to record and keep contact details.
The "no-mingling" rule applies across all settings, with groups needing to remain seated at restaurants, and the 20-person cap on wedding dance-floors still in place.
The Premier said complacency was still a concern.
"I can sense too much relaxation – people are getting back into normal life," she said.
"Please know that, until the end of the pandemic, none of us can have a normal life. But what we can do is make sure that we maintain COVID safety and make sure that, within the rules, we have as good a time – as free a time – as possible."
There were 6,952 tests reported to 8pm Sunday night, a significant drop from the compared 12,985 in the previous 24 hours. Testing levels have decreased for six consecutive weeks, the latest surveillance report shows.
Four people in Sydney's quarantine hotels have been newly diagnosed with COVID-19.
NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant said she was still concerned there were undetected chains of transmission, particularly in western and south-west Sydney.
“If you have the most minimal of symptoms please come forward and get a test. This is critical.”
“We can have more confidence in easing restrictions if we achieve very low or no levels of community transmission and everyone has a part to play,” she said.
There are still two active clusters with no known source, as well as a separate mystery case under investigation. Dr Chant said we may never identify the origins of these chains of transmission.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced a relaxation of COVID-19 restrictions.Credit:Nick Moir
NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard says he is "a little confused" by Victoria's reaction to New Zealand arrivals coming into Melbourne from Sydney.
Since Friday, travellers from New Zealand arriving in Sydney can skip hotel quarantine.
The Federal government confirmed that these arrivals would be allowed to travel to enter other Australian states and territories if their borders were open to NSW.
But Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said his state was not part of the trans-tasman bubble and something had “gone wrong at Sydney” resulting in NZ travellers to flying to Melbourne.
Mr Hazzard said "the advice I had was that Victoria had actually accepted that arrangement,", noting Victoria's own health department website said New Zealanders were allowed to travel on from Sydney under the trans-Tasman bubble arrangement.
"From our point of view, NSW Health and Border Force have done everything that we were asked to do," he said.
"And the fact that NSW has always been the gateway to the rest of the world, and the gateway the rest of Australia is exactly what Victoria did know. So, hopefully Victoria can sort out their issues."
Kate Aubusson is Health Editor of The Sydney Morning Herald.