Premier: More Than 10 People A Health Hazard

SCHOOLS return this week for more face to face teaching for students across New South Wales and the Premier explained if the next two weeks go well they will aim for full time face to face teaching again.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian said with thousands of schools across the state, with hundreds of thousands of children, teachers and parents, they do expect some cases, but are confident there are measures in place to respond to any cases.

The Premier said her main concern was people becoming complacent as restrictions eased.

“We have to assume every time we leave the house that we have the virus and everyone we come into contact with have the virus,” said the Premier.

Key advice:

• Any group larger than 10, even with social distancing, is a health hazard;
• In shopping centres and high traffic areas, avoid touching anything and have zero personal contact where possible;
• As the months get colder, don’t assume you have a cold or flu, get tested for covid-19;
• Hours for people returning to work may be staggered, to reduce numbers on public transport – guidelines will be recommended this week;
• Only a handful of infringements for breaches of regulations are being issued each day;

10 People

The new 10 people rule reflects that a group of ten or more, even with social distancing represents an increased health risk.

For food businesses, from Friday they will be able to have up to 10 people eat in their business at the one sitting and have multiple sittings, but the four square metre rule and social distancing still applies. 

The Premier said she understood the frustration of pubs, clubs, cafes and restaurants in that only 10 people at any one sitting may mean it is not yet viable for them to open, but stressed the public health advice.

5 Visitors

A group of five people or less will be able to visit others in their home, this includes adults and children and the number of people who live in the home is not counted.

This means for families with more than five people, they will not be able to visit others as a family, but can have five visitors to their own home.

The Premiers aid she appreciated what that means for large families, but said they need to be consistent with the medical advice.

Health Update

• 1 new confirmed case – overseas acquired, a traveller returning from the UK
• 5,258 people tested
• 46 total deaths
• 107 people treated
• 7 people on ventilators