Stay-at-home orders have been issued for a vast bulk of Sydney's Eastern Suburbs.
The drastic action was announced this morning. Even those who only work in the Sydney city area LGA and live elsewhere must stay at home.
In a statement from NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian it said:
"To protect the people of NSW from the evolving COVID-19 outbreak, current restrictions will be extended to at least midnight on Friday 2 July.
"In addition, following updated health advice from the Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant about the growing risk to the community, stay-at-home orders are being introduced for at least one week for those who live in, or whose usual place of work is in, Woollahra, Waverley, Randwick and City of Sydney Councils.
"Due to the risk associated with an increasing number of exposure venues where transmission has occurred, from 11.59pm tonight until at least 11.59pm on Friday 2 July, residents of the four LGAs must stay at home unless it is for an essential reason.
"The reasons you may leave your home include:
Shopping for food or other essential goods and services;
Medical care or compassionate needs;
Exercise outdoors in groups of 10 or fewer;
Essential work, or education, where you cannot work or study from home.
"We understand this is a difficult time for everyone, however we need to take these steps now to get on top of this outbreak.
"People should only enter the four LGAs for essential purposes.
"As previously stated, if you live or work in the City of Sydney, Waverley, Randwick, Canada Bay, Inner West, Bayside, and Woollahra local government areas, you cannot travel outside metropolitan Sydney for non-essential reasons.
"Residents across greater Sydney should also limit unnecessary activity and avoid large gatherings in coming days and comply with the current restrictions."
NSW Health reported: "NSW recorded 11 locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night, (Thursday) six of which were announced Thursday morning.
NSW Health has also been notified of an additional 17 locally acquired cases overnight."
John Ellicott
journalist and author
journalist and author
