This is everything you need to know about the current Greater Sydney COVID-19 restrictions, as stated by the NSW Premier and Health Minister:
To protect the people of NSW from the evolving COVID-19 outbreak, current restrictions will be extended to at least midnight on Friday, July 2.
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, July 2, residents of, or people whose usual place of work is in, 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.
The following rules apply to Greater Sydney, Central Coast, Shellharbour, Blue Mountains and Wollongong
Essential travel
If you live or work in the City of Sydney, Waverley, Randwick, Canada Bay, Inner West, Bayside, and Woollahra local government areas (shown on the map of Sydney's inner-city suburbs) you cannot travel beyond metropolitan Sydney unless you have a reasonable excuse such as
- travelling to your home, work, education, childcare or for shared parenting arrangements
- getting food or services that you cannot obtain in metropolitan Sydney
- obtaining medical care, health supplies or to fulfil caring responsibilities
- moving to a new home, business moving to a new premises, or inspecting a new place of residence
- to avoid injury, illness, and harm, or in an emergency situation
- undertaking legal obligations
- accessing public services (if they cannot be accessed in the metropolitan Sydney area).
Taking a holiday is not a reasonable excuse.
If you are relying on a reasonable excuse to leave metropolitan Sydney, you must return to metropolitan Sydney as soon as you have finished the purpose for which you left.
Metropolitan Sydney means the Greater Sydney region, but does not include the Blue Mountains, Hawkesbury or Wollondilly local government areas.
If you have not been to the inner Sydney suburbs
If you usually live or work in the City of Sydney, Waverley, Randwick, Canada Bay, Inner West, Bayside and Woollahra local government areas, but you have not been there for the past 14 days, you may travel in metropolitan Sydney and throughout NSW.
If you do not live or work in the City of Sydney, Waverley, Randwick, Canada Bay, Inner West, Bayside, and Woollahra local government areas, you may travel in metropolitan Sydney and throughout NSW.
If you are currently outside metropolitan Sydney, your travel is not restricted.
Workplaces in Greater Sydney
Employers must allow an employee to work from home if it is reasonably practicable to do so.
If you go to your workplace, you must wear a face mask (unless an exemption applies).
Capacity limits in Greater Sydney
You may have the greater of
- 25 people or
- one person per 4 square metres
at your premises.
These capacity limits do not apply to your home, major outdoor recreation facilities (such as stadiums), entertainment facilities (such as cinemas) commercial activities on vessels, caravan parks and campgrounds, holiday homes and short-term rentals, and other exempted gatherings.
When calculating the capacity of your premises
- only include the areas of your premises that are open to the public
- do not include your staff, people attending an emergency, or people who are on the premises to collect take away food in your calculations.
Visitors allowed at a residence
In Greater Sydney, up to five visitors may visit another household at any one time. The total number of visitors includes adults and children. (A member of the hosting household is not counted as a visitor.)
- There is no daily limit to visitors to your home, so long as you do not have more than 5 visitors at any one time.
- If you are over 70 or have a pre-existing medical condition, you should limit the number of visitors and take care at all times.
- An overnight stay as part of a visit to someone's house is allowed.
As a host, it is your responsibility to ensure that no more than five people visit your household at any one time.
As a visitor, it is your responsibility to ensure that you do not visit a residence if there are more than five people there.
People who are not counted as visitors
Under the public health orders, there are a number of people who do not count as visitors to your home. These are people who are:
- members of your household
- working at your home
- assisting in an emergency situation
- providing care to children or vulnerable persons
- giving effect to arrangements for spending time with and providing contact between parents and children under 18 or between siblings
- helping a person move to or from the place of residence
- avoiding injury or illness, to escape harm, or in an emergency, or
- viewing or inspecting a property for sale or lease or participating in an auction.
People who are at higher risk
People who are at higher risk of COVID-19 infection include:
- people aged 70 years and over
- people aged 65 years and over with chronic medical conditions
- people with a compromised immune system
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples 50 years and older with one or more chronic medical conditions.
If you are in one of these groups, follow the guidance for vulnerable people.
Auctions and open inspections
If you plan to attend an auction or open inspection as an agent or prospective buyer, you must follow the restrictions for inner Sydney suburbs.
Real estate agents and auctioneers must have and comply with a COVID-19 Safety Plan for retail and auctions.
Entertainment venues
If you are an event organiser or venue manager, refer to the relevant COVID-19 Safety Plan.
Theatres, cinemas, music and concert halls
The maximum number of persons at these venues in Greater Sydney is the greater of:
- 50 oer cent of the seating capacity, or
- one person per 4 square metres.
If you are relying on a percentage of the seating capacity, you must ensure that each person has a ticket and is allocated a specific seat.
You must wear a face mask at these venues and when attending outdoor seated events.
Major recreation facilities: stadiums, showgrounds, theme parks, racecourses and motor racing tracks
The maximum number of persons at these venues in Greater Sydney is the greater of:
- 50 per cent of the seating capacity plus 1 person per 4 square metres of unfixed seating area; or
- one person per 4 square metres.
If you are relying on a percentage of the seating capacity, you must ensure that each person has a ticket and is allocated a specific seat.
You must wear a face mask at these venues.
Singing
Singing by audiences at indoor shows or by congregants at indoor places of worship is not allowed.
You may only sing in non-residential indoor premises if:
- the singers are performers and they are performing or rehearsing
- the premises are an educational establishment
- it is part of a singing lesson.
Dancing
Dancing is not allowed at a hospitality venue or nightclub. Hospitality venues include casinos, food and drink premises, micro-breweries, small bars, pubs, and clubs.
For weddings, dancing is allowed at weddings for the bridal party only (no more than 20 people).
Gyms and indoor recreational facilities
A 20-person limit applies to classes or activities at a gym.
Dance classes, or any other activities such as a yoga class, also have a limit of 20 people.
If you are participating in a dance class or gym class, or you must wear a face mask.
Service of alcohol
You must be seated when consuming alcohol in an indoor area of non-residential premises in Greater Sydney. This includes hospitality venues (such as restaurants, pubs and registered clubs) and nightclubs, as well as outdoor gatherings or stadiums.
Face masks
If you are in Greater Sydney, or you have been in Greater Sydney in the last 14 days, you must wear a face mask
- over your nose and mouth
- when you are indoors at non-residential premises, including workplaces.
You must also wear a mask at a COVID-safe outdoor gathering or controlled outdoor public gathering.
Holiday homes and holiday rentals in Greater Sydney
In Greater Sydney, for a holiday home or short-term rental
- the square metres rules do not apply
- up to 5 people may stay in a holiday home or holiday rental (unless those people are from the same household)
- a gathering at a holiday home or holiday rental is limited to 5 people
If you are the occupier of a holiday home or short term rental, it is your responsibility to ensure that no more than 5 people use the holiday home or short term rental at any one time (unless they are from the same household).
As a visitor to a holiday home or short term rental, it is your responsibility to ensure you do not visit a holiday home or short term rental if there are more than five people there (unless they are from the same household).
If you are staying at a holiday home or short-term rental with more than five people immediately before 6:20pm on Wednesday, June 23:
- no additional people can move into the premises after 6:20pm on Wednesday, June 23, and
- the five-person limit does not apply.
