Latest Updates

For Dubbo Regional Council's COVID-19 response, including the current operations of Council services, please visit: dubbo.nsw.gov.au/covid

NSW opened on Monday 11 October 2021 as the state passed the 70% double vaccination target. Restrictions have been further eased on Monday 18 October 2021 as the state meet the 80% double-dose milestone. From 8 November 2021, restrictions have eased further for people who are fully vaccinated.

Restrictions will further ease for all people in NSW on 15 December 2021 or when the state reaches 95% fully vaccinated.

New rules are in place for fully vaccinated people in NSW

You are fully vaccinated if you have had 2 doses of a COVID-19 vaccination or you have a medical exemption.

Children under 16 years of age who are not fully vaccinated can generally follow the rules for fully vaccinated people so long as they visit certain businesses with a fully vaccinated member of your household.

For people over the age of 16 who are not fully vaccinated, more rules and restrictions apply. Read more about these restrictions by clicking here.

Masks and QR codes

• Masks required for all staff and customers in all indoor settings including on public transport, planes and in airports (except children under the age of 12).

• Masks no longer required in office buildings (unvaccinated people must still wear a mask in the office).
• Masks no longer required in outdoor settings (except for front-of-house hospitality staff).
• COVID Safe check-ins and proof of vaccination required for staff and customers.

COVID-19 safe check in

Occupiers of premises are required to continue to take reasonable steps to ensure people can check-in or provide their contact details to when they enter your premises.

If you are entering a premises where check-in is required, you must:

• check in with the Service.NSW app
• provide your details to the occupier of the premises.

Learn more about COVID-19 Safe Check-in.

Vaccination evidence

Vaccination evidence includes:

• an online immunisation history statement
• a COVID-19 digital certificate from the Australian Immunisation Register
• presenting your COVID-19 digital certificate via the Service.NSW app
• a medical exemption, which includes either:
  • a medical contraindication certificate or
  • a medical clearance form.

A person who is required to be fully vaccinated to enter premises must:

• Carry their vaccination evidence
• Produce the evidence if requested to do so by a police officer or authorised officer.

If you are required to be fully vaccinated to enter a premises, you may be asked to produce your vaccination evidence by the occupier. We encourage you to comply with an occupier’s request.

You do not have to produce your vaccination evidence to the occupier, however, the occupier may refuse entry to you if you do not produce your vaccination evidence.

People who provide an emergency service are able to enter premises if they are not fully vaccinated and are at the premises to provide an emergency service.

Travel

From 8 November there are no longer any restrictions for travel within NSW for fully vaccinated people. This includes travel for holidays and recreational visits including day trips between Greater Sydney (including Central Coast, Wollongong, Shellharbour and Blue Mountains) and regional NSW.

Click here to read the full rules for fully vaccinated people.

Fully reopened from 15 December

Restrictions are expected to further ease from 15 December, with people who are not fully vaccinated having greater freedoms. You can find out about how NSW will be opening up and the roadmap for easing COVID-19 restrictions, here: https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-1...

About the roadmap

The roadmap is subject to further fine-tuning and health advice if circumstances change drastically or cases remain too high.

• COVID-Safe check-ins and proof of vaccination required for staff and customers in most settings.
• Density limits of 1 person per 4sqm for indoor areas and person per 2sqm for outdoor areas apply to some activities listed above.
• COVID-19 Safety Plans apply.

SOURCE: The above information is directly sourced from: https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-1...

How do I self-isolate?

• Self-isolation means you must stay in your home and stay completely separated from everyone else in your home. You should not be in the same room as any other person.
• You cannot leave your home, unless for medical care (including a COVID-19 test),
or in an emergency.
• You cannot allow other people into your home unless they usually live there, or they are entering for medical or emergency purposes.
• Self-isolation is different from stay-at-home orders (lockdown). When you are self-isolating, you are not permitted to leave your home for outdoor exercise, shopping, work or education.

How do I know if I am a close or casual contact?

There are three ways to know if you are a close or casual contact:

• Someone in your home or who you have been near gets COVID-19.
• You get a text or phone call from NSW Health telling you that you are a close or casual contact.
• You see from the website that you have been to a close or casual contact place on the day and time listed.

How do I know if I’m a secondary close contact?

NSW Health asks close contacts to tell the people they have been close to in the last two days to get a COVID-19 test and self-isolate until they have a test result.
You are a secondary close contact if you have been close to someone since they were exposed to COVID-19. This includes anyone who:

• Lives in the same home as a close contact of a person with COVID-19.
• Has visited the home of a close contact of a person with COVID-19.
• Has been visited in their home by a close contact of a person with COVID-19.
• Has shared a confined space (such as a car) with a friend who is a close contact of a person with COVID-19.

If you think you are a close, secondary or casual contact, it is important you check the detailed factsheets for more information:

• Close contact
• Secondary close contacts
• Casual contact

Stay up to date with COVID-19 case locations by checking the website regularly: www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/nsw-covid-19-case-locations

Council encourage our local community to support one another during this time. As consumers we can all be a part of this by sharing your household spend with our local operations in a sustainable and sensible way and in doing so support local business, local employment and overall local economies through this crisis period.

COVID-19 financial support is available

The NSW community is facing a particularly challenging time, and businesses and many workers are impacted.

The NSW Government is providing support for individuals, sole traders, micro-businesses, small and medium businesses, as well as the creative services industry, and accommodation providers to help at this time. To find out more about support available for businesses, please click here.

For individuals:

• For workers, the COVID-19 Disaster Payment is available for those who have lost eight hours or more of work per week because of stay-at-home orders, movement restrictions, being stood down, losing their job or having hours reduced. Visit the Services Australia website for more information.
• There is also protection from eviction for tenants who have lost 25% or more of their income. Landlords can also claim land tax relief if they reduce the rent of lockdown impacted residential and commercial tenants.

Looking after your mental health during these challenging times is important. There is support available for individuals and businesses who need it. We appreciate this is a difficult time for everyone. We will get through this together.

Test and isolate support payment expanded

The $320 Test and Isolate Support Payment has been expanded to all eligible NSW workers who need to self-isolate and are unable to work while waiting for their coronavirus (COVID-19) test result.

For more information on eligibility or to apply, click here.

Our primary concern is the health and safety of our community and visitors. Please be vigilant in personal hygiene, social distancing and stay home if you are feeling unwell. Take care of yourselves and our community’s most vulnerable.

For more information on COVID-19, please visit https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/diseases/Pages/coronavirus.aspx