Thousands of Sydneysiders have been asked to self-isolate after a staff member at Casula’s Crossroads Hotel tested positive for COVID-19.
It’s the third confirmed case among people who’ve visited pub, after two punters tested positive earlier in the month. Now anyone who’s visited the Crossroads Hotel between July 3 and July 10 is being asked to self-isolate and get tested.
“We have literally the next few weeks to continue on the strong path we’ve been on, otherwise we will go down the path of Victoria,” Premier Gladys Berejiklian said.
“Do not be surprised if the government takes decisions to further reduce the risk in the next month in particular of community transmission getting to a stage where it is out of control.”
Over 400 people were tested at a pop-up clinic at the pub on Saturday, but health authorities are still trying to contact many more people who’ve visited recently. A spokesperson for the state government told the Sydney Morning Herald some of the guests gave incorrect or incomplete contact details when they visited.
While the pub had a COVIDSafe plan, as is required of businesses, an investigation is now underway as to whether anything went wrong.
Berejiklian went on to say NSW is now on “high alert” and “literally at a crossroads” after community transmission from the Crossroads Hotel.
The news comes after Double Bay’s Golden Sheaf Hotel has copped a $5,000 fine after photos of an overcrowded queue spread all over social media, although there haven’t been any cases associated with the Sheaf.
Most of the people in the photo didn’t appear to be keeping 1.5 metres away from one another, however Solotel Group CEO Justine Baker later said the crowd had been dispersed by security shortly after.
Getting on the beers was supposed to be one of the highlights of eased restrictions, but according to health authorities, most of us need to work on being a bit more cautious.
