Gunnedah Shire Council is reminding the community to be vigilant in light of the recent COVID-19 outbreak in Greater Sydney.
On Saturday, June 26, the NSW Government introduced restrictions in regional NSW that are expected to be in place until at least Friday, July 9. The restrictions mandate the wearing of face masks in public indoor spaces and a return to the one person per 4m2 rule in venues.
The restrictions mean masks must now be worn while visiting the following Council facilities:
- Elgin Street Administration Building;
- Gunnedah Shire Library;
- Gunnedah Cultural Precinct - Visitor Information Centre, Civic Theatre, Smithurst Theatre, Town Hall and Bicentennial Creative Arts Centre;
- GoCo offices in Gunnedah, Tamworth and Barraba;
- Gunnedah Memorial Pool Complex - spectators and instructors will be required to wear masks at all times, as well as participants who will not be submerged as part of their activities.
A stay at home order has also been issued for Greater Sydney, including the Blue Mountains, Central Coast, Wollongong and Shellharbour until Friday July 9. Anyone who has visited the Greater Sydney region on or after June 21 must follow the stay-at-home orders for a period of 14 days after they left Greater Sydney.
Mayor of Gunnedah Shire Cr Jamie Chaffey has thanked residents and businesses for quickly adjusting to the new restrictions.
"Thank you to the community of Gunnedah for your patience and continued compliance during what has been a challenging 18 months," Cr Chaffey said.
"At this time all Council services will remain open, however masks must be work indoors and some venues will be operating with reduced capacity limits. I encourage community members to check signage before entering venues and to follow the directions of staff.
"This latest outbreak has reminded us that anyone with any COVID-19 symptoms, no matter how mild, should get tested. Options for testing include a clinic at the Gunnedah Hospital and drive-through clinics operating on certain days at Laverty Pathology and Gunnedah Showground. Visit the NSW Health website for the full list of testing locations and operating hours.
"It's also crucial at this time to continue to support our local businesses. These new restrictions have impacted our hospitality venues in particular, please ensure you continue to shop local and support our great cafés and restaurants.
"We need to remain vigilant, look after each other and keep up the good work in helping prevent the spread of this virus."
