Port Macquarie and Muswellbrook are going under lockdown from 6pm tonight “due to increased Covid-19 public health risk”.
NSW Health has announced that the two NSW LGAs will be under stay-at-home orders for seven days, and has encouraged people to increase testing to prevent the lockdown being extended.
“To determine the extent of the risk and detect any further potential COVID-19 cases in these areas, we are calling on the communities to come forward for testing in large numbers,” NSW Health said in a statement.
“A strong response to testing will be a key factor in determining if these stay-at-home orders are extended beyond one week. To find your nearest clinic visit COVID-19 clinics or contact your GP”.
People in Port Macquarie and Muswellbrook LGAs can only leave home for essential reasons listed in public health orders, including the following:
- Shopping for food.
- Medical care.
- Getting vaccinated.
- Compassionate needs (like visiting a partner).
- Exercise.
- Work or tertiary education, if you can’t work or study at home.
The lockdown also applies to anyone who has been in the Port Macquarie and Muswellbrook since 17 September and 22 September respectively.
Earlier today, NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard hinted at the new stay-at-home orders.
“These decisions are not made lightly. There’s more work to do and the public health team will do that work this afternoon but I’m putting the community on notice that there may be a further announcement today in regard to all three of those areas or any one of those three areas,” he said, per News.com.au.
“We just need to make some final decisions on that.
“In the meantime, my strong advice as Health Minister to all of the residents in those areas is to be very cautious where you’re moving around at the moment and to certainly go out and get vaccinated.”
Kempsey’s lockdown will be lifted from midnight tonight, as planned.
