Latest advice
Help stop the spread of COVID-19
From 31 March 2020, you must stay at home, unless you are going to
- work and education, where you can’t work remotely
- shop for food and essentials
- medical needs or the care of others
- exercise.
Existing rules around 10 people at funerals and 5 people at weddings still apply.
- If you go out, stay 1.5 metres away from other people at all times.
- Wash your hands as soon as you get home.
Do not gather in public with more than 2 people except
- for members of the same household
- where the gathering is essential for work or education.
These new restrictions are legally enforceable.
Anyone could spread the virus, even without knowing.
Together we can help stop the spread of COVID-19.
- If you have returned from overseas you are required to self-isolate for 14 days.
- No Australians should travel overseas at this time.
- Symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat or shortness of breath
In line with health advice, from midday 23 March 2020, the following non-essential activities and businesses have been temporarily shut down:
- pubs (licensed bottle shops attached to pubs may still operate)
- registered clubs
- gyms, indoor sporting venues (this includes indoor dance classes)
- cinemas, entertainment venues (including music halls, concert halls, amusement parks, billiards, pool or gaming arcades)
- casinos and nightclubs
- restaurants and cafes will be restricted to takeaway and/or home delivery (drive through allowed)
- religious gatherings, places of worship (excluding small weddings and funerals that comply with the four square metre rule, which can proceed).
As announced by the Prime Minister on 24 March 2020, these further non-essential activities and businesses will be temporarily shut down from midnight on 25 March 2020:
- dine-in eating at shopping centre food courts (take-away food can be served and shopping centres remain open)
- real estate auctions and open house inspections (by private appointment only)
- auction houses, auction rooms
- outdoor and indoor markets (with the exception of food markets)
- beauty salons including tanning, waxing and nail salons
- tattoo parlours, spa and massage parlours (excludes health-related services such as physiotherapy)
- sex services premises and strip clubs
- betting agencies
- boot camps and personal training services (with the exception of outdoor groups of no more than 10 people)
- indoor and outdoor play centres
- community and recreation centres, youth centres, community halls
- health clubs, fitness centres, yoga, barre and spin studios, social sporting activities
- saunas, bathhouses, wellness centres
- swimming pools
- galleries, museums, national institutions, historic sites, libraries
The restrictions apply across NSW, including regional and rural NSW.
Activities and businesses that have not been nominated for closure can continue.
Further restrictions apply to the number of people who can attend weddings and funerals at places of worship, with:
- 5 people only for weddings
- 10 people only for funerals.
Businesses and activities that can continue must still adhere to existing restrictions on mass gatherings by providing 4 metres square of space for each person attending and limiting attendance to:
- 100 people for indoor gatherings and
- 500 people for outdoor gatherings.
Feeling unwell?
If you develop a fever, a cough, sore throat or shortness of breath within 14 days of overseas travel, or after coming into close contact with a confirmed case, seek medical attention.
- Call your GP
- Visit an Emergency Department
- Call HealthDirect on 1800 022 222
(Source: health.nsw.gov.au)
Need to talk to someone?
The National Coronavirus Help Line operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
- 1800 020 080
If you require translating or interpreting services, call 131 450.
What does it mean?
What is social distancing?
Social distancing is one way to help slow the spread of viruses such as COVID-19.
Social distancing includes staying at home when you are unwell, avoiding large public gatherings if they’re not essential, keeping a distance of 1.5 metres between you and other people whenever possible and minimising physical contact especially with people at higher risk of developing serious symptoms, such as older people and people with existing health conditions.
There’s no need to change your daily routine, but taking these social distancing precautions can help protect the people in our community who are most at risk.
What does isolate in your home mean?
If you have been diagnosed with COVID-19, you must stay at home to prevent it spreading to other people. You might also be asked to stay at home if you may have been exposed to the virus.
Staying at home means you:
- do not go to public places such as work, school, shopping centres, childcare or university
- ask someone to get food and other necessities for you and leave them at your front door
- do not let visitors in — only people who usually live with you should be in your home.
You do not need to wear a mask in your home. If you need to go out to seek medical attention, wear a surgical mask (if you have one) to protect others.
For more information, visit www.health.gov.au/covid19-resources
How does COVID-19 spread?
Coronavirus is most likely to spread from person-to-person through:
- Direct close contact with a person while they are infectious or in the 24 hours before their symptoms appeared.
- Close contact with a person with a confirmed infection who coughs or sneezes.
- Touching objects or surfaces (such as door handles or tables) contaminated from a cough or sneeze from a person with a confirmed infection, and then touching your mouth or face.
Should I wear a face mask?
You do not need to wear a mask if you are healthy.
While the use of masks can help to prevent transmission of disease from infected patients to others, masks are not currently recommended for use by healthy members of the public for the prevention of infections like coronavirus.
What you need to know
(Source: https://www.health.gov.au)
We need to work together to help stop the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
To protect people most at risk and slow the rate of community transmission:
- Clean your hands
- Cover your coughs and sneezes
- Stay at home if sick
Remember:
- People who have returned from anywhere overseas are required to self-isolate for 14 days. During this time, you should monitor your health closely.
- If you develop symptoms including a fever and cough, you should seek medical attention, remembering to call ahead.
- People who have been in close contact with a confirmed case of coronavirus should also self-isolate, monitor their health and seek medical advice.