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Summary
- After a long gap of 26 days in the state, a new Covid-19 positive case came to light on Thursday.
- Gladys Berejiklian, NSW Premier, is confident that the easing of restrictions scheduled for 7 December would happen despite the positive case.
- The easing from Monday onwards would allow Sydney Festival to begin, besides opening of sports grounds, pubs, cafes, and other public places with no cap as such on maximum number of people.
- However, the rule of one person per two square metre will remain applicable.
New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian has confirmed that the easing of restrictions scheduled for 7 December 2020 will go according to the plan despite the fact that a quarantined hotel worker was tested Covid-19 positive on 3 December 2020.
It should be highlighted that there were no locally acquired positive cases reported in past 26 days in the state.
The Covid-19 positive woman from Minto, Sydney worked at two CBD hotels - the Novotel and Ibis hotels at Darling Harbour. At the Novotel, she worked between 28 and 30 November. Here, the police have managed to enforce quarantine. Then, she reportedly worked at the Ibis hotel, on 27 November. This was a non-quarantine hotel. Both the hotels are owned by Accor.
Image Source: Shutterstock
NSW Health has asked people who worked at these hotels on given dates, to get tested and self-isolate.
The department has also shared that anyone who travelled by train from Minto to Central and by light rail from Central to Darling Harbour between 27 and 30 November should get tested on urgent basis and isolate themselves. Though, the woman wore a mask while on public transport.
Dr Kerry Chant, Chief health officer stated that the source of new infection is under investigation and the urgent genome sequencing will determine within 48 hours whether the infection was acquired in the community or through the hotel complex.
Dr Chant informed that the woman was tested on Wednesday and the highest risk people around her – her five household contacts have tested negative. All of them will isolate for at least 14 days.
NSW Labour health spokesman Ryan Park said that the government should ensure hotel quarantine workers are given full-time work so that they are not working on any other site in the city.
Image Source: Shutterstock
Meanwhile, Berejiklian shared that there was no reason to postpone the much-awaited easing of restraints on places of interest and get-togethers, that was announced on 2 December 2020. She assured that even though it was a very serious situation, it could be managed.
The restrictions easing from Monday
- Cricket grounds and major events including the Sydney Festival will be back.
- All venues – pubs, clubs, cafes, shops, places of worship will ease up on the maximum cap on number of people. However, one person per two square metre rule will be applicable.
- Organised outdoor events and protests can have 3000 people and wedding guests will be allowed onto dancefloors
