The Sydney Morning Herald logo
Advertisement
NationalCoronavirus pandemic

This was published 5 years ago

As the day unfolded: Greater Sydney, northern beaches restrictions slightly eased for Christmas period as cluster grows by seven

Laura Chung and Nigel Gladstone
Updated ,first published

Summary

  • NSW reported eight new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday. Seven were linked to the Avalon cluster, the other was a close contact of a healthcare worker reported yesterday but included in today's numbers.
  • Victoria's coronavirus logistics chief Jeroen Weimar has confirmed the state's border will remain shut to Sydneysiders for Christmas.
  • The northern beaches will be split into two. Households north of Narrabeen Bridge remain in lockdown, while the rest will be able to have visitors from other parts of Sydney.
  • There are now 35 people detained in hotel quarantine who have flown into Melbourne from the designated 'red zone in NSW.
  • Thousands of virus detectives, lab technicians and healthcare workers are working around the clock to quash the cluster threatening Sydney’s Christmas.

New and updated venues

By

New venues visited by confirmed cases of COVID-19 include Alma Avalon Restaurant, Macquarie University Soccer Fields, Mona Vale Fitness First, Bondi Icebergs Club (Pool Deck Level), and the MLC building food court. The new advice was released at 9.40pm on Wednesday, December 23.

Anyone who attended the following venues at the following times is considered a close contact, and must immediately get tested and isolate for 14 days, regardless of whether a negative result is received:

  • Alma Avalon Restaurant, 47 Old Barrenjoey Rd, Avalon Beach Wednesday 16 December 8.30pm until close
  • Macquarie University Soccer Fields, Premier Academy League Under 8s, Macquarie University Soccer Fields, Macquarie Park Sunday 13 December 9.15am – 10.45am
  • Mona Vale Fitness First, Pittwater Place Shopping Centre, 10 Park St, Mona Vale, Thursday 17 December, All day
  • Anyone who attended the following venues at the following times is a casual contact who must immediately get tested and isolate until a negative result is received:
  • MLC building food court, 19 Martin Place, Sydney Tuesday 15 December 1pm – 2pm
  • Anyone who attended the following venues at the following times is a casual contact who should monitor for symptoms and immediately get tested and isolate if they appear. If further symptoms appear, get isolate and get tested again:
  • De’assis Collaroy Café, Shop 2/1091 Pittwater Rd, Collaroy, Saturday 12 December 9.15am – 10.10am.

Anyone who attended one of the following venues at the times specified is asked to immediately get tested and isolate until NSW Health provides further information:

  • Bondi Icebergs Club (Pool Deck Level) 1 Notts Ave, Bondi Beach Sunday 20 December 8am – 9.30am; Monday 21 December 7am-8am.

What happened today

By Nigel Gladstone

Here's a recap of the main events.

  • NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced a complex plan for Christmas visits across the northern beaches as the Avalon cluster increased by seven new infections to reach 97 cases.
  • Over Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day people in the north of the northern beaches (north of the Narrabeen Bridge and east of the Baha’i Temple on Mona Vale Road), must remain under lockdown. But they can have up to five people from other households in the area visit their homes. People will not be allowed to enter this part of the northern beaches over the Christmas period. No outside guests will be permitted after Boxing Day.
  • Over Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day people in the southern section of the northern beaches, (including Manly and Dee Why) can have up to 10 guests from anywhere plus as many children under 12 as they like.
  • Residents in this southern section of the northern beaches cannot leave the area currently under lockdown, but people from Greater Sydney can visit.
  • The NSW government will announce more changes to restrictions on Boxing Day.
  • UNSW infectious disease expert Professor Mary-Louise McLaws said she was "very disappointed" with the Christmas plan, adding that the New Year's Eve fireworks should be cancelled.
  • Peak doctors body the AMA also urged NSW to cancel the fireworks on New Year's Eve.
  • Twenty-one beaches from North Palm Beach to Manly will remain closed over Christmas.

Update of Australia-wide COVID-19 data

By

The Australian Department of Health has issued today's update of coronavirus cases, tests and other information.

View post on X

All the locally acquired cases were found in NSW today and 103 of the 146 estimated active cases are also in NSW.

Advertisement

How Christmas 'muddied' decision to ease restrictions

By Jenny Noyes, Mary Ward and Tom Rabe

Coronavirus restrictions on Sydney’s northern beaches will be eased over Christmas despite the emergence of a new mystery case, as NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian attempts to stretch the limits of her government’s health response to the growing cluster.

Having recorded another eight new locally acquired coronavirus cases on Wednesday, the NSW government's crisis cabinet agreed to “modestly” ease restrictions for a three-day window over Christmas.

Loading

Ms Berejiklian said the temporary changes to the northern beaches, which will be split into two zones, were an attempt to balance a proportionate health response with compassion during the Christmas period.

“What we’re allowing is the outer limit ... it’s more about stretching what we think is appropriate at this time and we’re not prepared to take any further steps,” Ms Berejiklian said.

Dubai and Mexico start vaccinations

By Michelle Griffin

Dubai will start inoculating people with the COVID-19 vaccine produced by Pfizer and BioNTech for free from Wednesday, joining Saudi Arabia which last week became the first Arab country to begin using this vaccine.

The move comes after the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain earlier this month rolled out a vaccine developed by China National Pharmaceutical Group (Sinopharm) to the general public.

Mexican officials have reported a new daily high in confirmed coronavirus cases as the country awaits its first shipment of the vaccine.

Foreign Relations Secretary Marcelo Ebrard says Mexico expects to receive its first shipment of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine on Wednesday. Priority will be given to frontline health workers and the elderly.

Read more here.

Germany's grim new record

By Michelle Griffin

Germany reported a record daily coronavirus death toll of 962 on Wednesday, a week after the start of a hard lockdown that has forced most stores as well as hair salons and other services to close.

The total death toll now stands at 27,968, data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases showed. The previous daily death toll record was 952, reported on December 16, the day the lockdown came into effect.

Germany managed the COVID-19 pandemic relatively well compared with other European countries in the first wave of the pandemic in spring.

But it has seen a sharp rise in case numbers and deaths in recent months, and an attempt failed in November to push down infection numbers with a "lockdown lite" that kept shops and schools open.

Read more here.

Advertisement

Singaporeans wary of vaccine, South Koreans want it now

By Michelle Griffin

As Singapore prepares to roll out the first COVID-19 vaccinations in Asia this week, its striking success in controlling the virus is making some question whether they should take the jabs.

In a city-state where compliance with the authorities is generally high, some Singaporeans fear potential side-effects - even if minimal - are not worth the risk when daily cases are almost zero and fatalities are among the world's lowest.

Singapore acted swiftly after the first cases of the virus were reported and, although it was blindsided by tens of thousands of cases in migrant workers dormitories, it has brought infections right down again.

Meanwhile, South Korean media has lambasted President Moon Jae-in's approach to securing newly developed COVID-19 vaccines as too slow, relying on locally produced shots that would take more time than imported options.

The country has struggled to contain a third wave of the pandemic, reporting its second-highest daily tally of cases overnight: 1092 new coronavirus cases on Tuesday, bringing the national tally to 52,550, with 739 deaths, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. The record of 1097 cases was logged on Sunday.

Read more here.

Missing meals, bedding shortages for police on border duty

By Erin Pearson

Some of the Victoria Police officers who have been redeployed to the NSW border have had to go without meals or bring their own bedding due to a lack of supplies.

Hundreds of officers were told on Monday that they would be missing Christmas at home and instead be sent to staff checkpoints on the border, to prevent the COVID-19 outbreak at Sydney's northern beaches from spreading to Victoria.

Deputy Commissioner Rick Nugent at the police campsite in Cann River. Rachel Mounsey

There are now 31 checkpoints active at all hours along the 1200-kilometre border – with more than 100 motorists refused entry to Victoria since Monday morning – but the police union says the scale and speed of the operation has left some members without adequate support.

Police Association secretary Wayne Gatt said he was sympathetic to the challenges that had landed in Victoria Police’s lap at short notice, but it was unacceptable that some members had gone without.

Read more here.

NT opens up to Wollongong and Illawarra

By Nigel Gladstone

The Northern Territory will allow people from Wollongong and the Illawarra region to travel without needing to quarantine from today after changes to the NT's list of areas considered to be Greater Sydney COVID-19 hotspots.

NT Health Minister Natasha Fyles said the Illawarra area would now be considered in the same category as the rest of regional NSW.

Greater Sydney residents were effectively locked out of every state and territory but now some restrictions are being lifted.James Brickwood, Steven Saphore, Edwina Pickles

“In the next hour or so the Illawarra local government area will be lifted as a hotspot declaration," Ms Fyles said late this afternoon. “This is based on the evidence that they’ve had no cases from the northern beaches coronavirus cluster."

Restrictions on the rest of Greater Sydney, the Central Coast and the Blue Mountains will remain.

Advertisement

ACT border may be closed to NSW until next year

By Nigel Gladstone

The ACT border restrictions on people arriving from NSW will remain until after Christmas, and will most likely remain in place until at least New Year's Day.

“I know that this will be disappointing news for many people who wanted to see family and friends over the Christmas period,” acting ACT Health Minister Chris Steel said.

Canberra Airport quarantine. NSW residents will need to quarantine if they enter the ACT until at least after Christmas.Alex Ellinghausen

“The reality is that the virus and the whole pandemic is far from over, and the virus still poses a risk to the Canberra community.”

The current restrictions mean all travellers who have been in Sydney, the Central Coast, the Blue Mountains or Wollongong must isolate themselves for 14 days if they enter the ACT.

Advertisement