A concerning video showing throngs of Boxing Day shoppers at Parramatta Westfield has gone viral, as NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian calls for residents to wear masks and exercise common sense.
Sydney man Nasem Allam captured the video at Parramatta Westfield yesterday, showing dense crowds milling around and riding packed escalators. He captioned it: “Corona who?”
Paramatta Westfield today during Boxing day sales
Corona who?@9NewsSyd @NSWHealth @7NewsSydney @abcnews @abcsydney @smh @parracity #covidnsw #parramatta #nsw #Sydney pic.twitter.com/p1UdZvlDSX
— Nasem Allam (@nasemallam) December 26, 2020
Another shopper at Westfield Miranda said she witnessed similar scenes there yesterday, saying that she was in the minority of people wearing masks and social distancing.
Westfield Miranda today we were in a minority wearing masks no such thing as social distancing. This is why we are seeing outbreaks. People are STILL too complacent. Asked the people behind me in the line who weren’t wearing masks not to get too close they laughed at me @GladysB
— Shiregirlshelly🌺 (@shiregirlshelly) December 26, 2020
Sydney is still working hard to contain its recent COVID-19 outbreak in the northern beaches, and while Boxing Day crowds avoided the CBD yesterday, it seems many congregated in the suburbs instead.
Addressing the situation, Berejiklian said:
“If you are in the suburbs, please make sure you are wearing a mask when shopping indoors. If it is too crowded, turn around and go home. Thank you to everybody who ordinarily would have gone to the CBD, the response has been really positive and overwhelming.”
“I want to thank retailers for their understanding. It is a difficult day to have to hear the state’s premier to ask [shoppers] to stay away, but we are all making sacrifices so all of us can be safe. Those people in isolation were not able to have any Christmas at all, so thank you for doing the right thing.”
NSW recorded seven locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night, with an additional four cases in returned travellers in hotel quarantine. pic.twitter.com/f4jDj8FQaK
— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) December 27, 2020
NSW recorded seven new local cases of COVID-19 overnight, and while the numbers are still stable for now, the response to the Parramatta Westfield video highlights the importance of remaining vigilant and not getting complacent about the virus.
