Lockdown extended by 4 weeks and only authorised workers can leave Georges River and Campbelltown council areas

Premier Gladys Berejiklian has announced that residents of Campbelltown and Georges River local government areas cannot travel more than five kilometres from their home, unless it is for essential work, and must wear masks outside their homes at all times.

These rules will apply to all eight council areas that have been identified as areas of concern.

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The COVID lockdown has been extended for another four weeks and Georges River and Campbelltown added to council areas where only authorised workers can leave for work.

In other changes, construction will resume on Saturday in non-occupied settings outside of the local government areas of concern, and Year 12 students will return to face-to-face learning on Monday, 16 August.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian confirmed the expected lockdown extension when announcing 177 new locally acquired cases in the last 24 hours, of whom at least 46 were infectious in the community.

There has been another COVID-19-related death, a woman in her 90s, who died yesterday at Liverpool Hospital.

This is the 11th COVID-19 related death during the current outbreak.

Ms Berejiklian said, given low vaccination rates, the current stay at home orders will remain in place for another four weeks (until Saturday, 28 August at 12.01am) across Greater Sydney including the Central Coast, Blue Mountains, Wollongong and Shellharbour.

"This extra time will allow NSW residents to significantly increase the uptake of vaccines in areas most affected by the current outbreak and across the state," she said.

Other restriction changes are:

From midnight tonight (28 July):

In line with exercise rules, Greater Sydney residents including the Central Coast, Blue Mountains, Wollongong and Shellharbour must limit their shopping to within their Local Government Area (LGA) or, if outside their LGA, within 10km from home, unless the item is not available locally.

Given localised case numbers, the Parramatta, Campbelltown and Georges River LGAs will join the five existing LGAs of concern which are subject to an Authorised Workers Order. Only authorised workers in these eight LGAs may leave their LGA for work.

The five previously announced LGAs of concern are Canterbury-Bankstown, Fairfield, Liverpool, Blacktown and Cumberland.

From 12.01am, Saturday, 31 July:

Construction in non-occupied settings outside of the LGAs of concern (with no residents on-site) will re-open as planned, subject to a one person per 4sqm rule.

These low-risk construction sites must have COVID safe plans in place, compliance will be strictly enforced. Construction cannot resume in the eight LGAs of concern, nor will construction workers be allowed to leave these areas.

Trades people, including cleaners who are able to work with zero contact with residents will also be allowed to resume (no more than two people inside and five outside).

If contactless arrangements are not possible, work cannot go ahead. This work will not be allowed in the eight LGAs of concern, nor will workers be allowed to leave these areas.

A singles bubble will also be introduced, allowing people who live alone to nominate one designated family member or friend to visit for companionship. Restrictions will apply for people in the LGAs of concern.

Changes to surveillance testing (enforceable from Saturday, 31 July):

All authorised workers from Canterbury-Bankstown LGA must get tested once every three days in order to leave their LGA for work.

People who live in the Fairfield and Cumberland LGAs but work outside these areas as health or aged care workers (including support services for health or aged care, such as cleaners, cooks and security providers) must be tested once every three days in order to be allowed to go to work outside their LGA.

These surveillance testing requirements will be enforceable from Saturday, 31 July. However, relevant workers will have from today to get their first test.

Higher School Certificate

Year 12 students are also set to return to face-to-face learning on Monday, 16 August, with the Government finalising plans for the resumption of in-class study under strict COVID protocols.

The NSW Government is also working with industry and the Department of Education to introduce Rapid Antigen Testing to mitigate against outbreaks in workplaces and schools.

Ms Berejiklian said, "Higher vaccination rates and following the health orders are the only way to guarantee the further easing of restrictions.

"Though the Pfizer supply is insufficient there is plenty of AstraZeneca, and updated federal health advice recommends anyone aged 18 and over in Greater Sydney should access the jab.

"If you are unvaccinated, please organise a jab as soon as you possibly can, especially if you live in an LGA of concern."

For the latest information visit www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19