Covid update - Friday


20th August 2021
Some very good news today. Just 3 new cases were recorded in the Hunter-New England health district in the 24 hours to 8pm last night and
¿ 3 NEW LOCAL CASES / NEW MASK RULE / WORK PERMITS ¿
¿ COVID UPDATE - 11.20am Friday August 20 ¿
¿ Some very good news today. Just 3 new cases were recorded in the Hunter-New England health district in the 24 hours to 8pm last night and NONE of them had spent any time in the community while infectious. All three cases were linked to household contacts of existing cases and were isolating at the time of infection. This brings the total number of cases in our health district to 153.
¿ Of those cases:
¿ 2 are from Newcastle LGA (1 at Wallsend and 1 at Jesmond)
¿ 1 is from Maitland LGA (Tenambit)
¿ We now have 31 local people with Covid-related illness being treated in hospital.
¿ STATEWIDE: The dreadful situation in Sydney continues with the State recording 644 new cases in the 24 hours to 8pm last night. Four more deaths were also recorded in SW Sydney.
¿ HOSPITALISATIONS: There are 470 people currently being treated for Covid-19 in NSW hospitals, with 80 in ICU and 27 on ventilators.
¿ NEW EXPOSURE SITES: HNE Health has released a number of new exposure sites overnight. You can see those on my website here.
¿ WORK PERMITS: As I mentioned a few days ago, the new work permit system has been finalised and is effective from tomorrow. In short:
- people living on the Central Coast but working in Lake Macquarie or Newcastle will NOT need a permit;
- people leaving the local area for other parts of regional NSW will NOT need a permit;
- people living locally but working on the Central Coast will NOT need a permit.
- people living locally but working in the hotspot areas of Sydney WILL need a permit. (This does not apply to other parts of Sydney, just the 12 'areas of concern').
Full details on who does and doesn't need a permit is on my website here.
¿ MASKS: The Premier has also announced today that wearing a mask in any public area outdoors will be mandatory (unless exercising) from Monday. This applies to all of NSW.
¿ SYDNEY LOCKDOWN: The Premier has today announced that the lockdown in Sydney will continue until at least the end of September. A night time curfew has also been introduced in western Sydney, effective from Monday.
¿ Please stay safe, stay vigilant, and stay home unless you absolutely have to go somewhere.

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