COVID update – NEW RESTRICTIONS -no visits to aged-care until Jan 6, only 5 visitors in homes on NYE

Premier Gladys Berejiklian has announced just now tighter restrictions in Great Sydney – which includes the Hawkesbury – following 18 new Covid cases overnight – none of the new cases are in the Hawkesbury.

All residential aged-care facilities must exclude all visitors, except those performing essential caring duties, from midnight tonight until 11:59pm on January 6.

And New Year’s Eve celebrations will be low key, with only five visitors allowed in anyone’s home on New Year’s Eve – so, tomorrow night.

Outdoor gatherings are cut from the current 50 down to 30 people.

The Premier said, “We don’t want New Year’s Eve to be the cause of a super-spreader.

“The strongest message to everybody across New South Wales no matter where you are – is please limit your activity and your mobility.”

The cuts in numbers allowed to gather on NYE is a further cut to yesterday’s allowable number when Ms Berejiklian had said outdoor gatherings were being cut from 100 to 50.