Central Coast Chronicle is working with the Central Coast Community to keep everyone up to date regarding Coronavirus Central Coast information.
This post will detail (in dot point) CRITICAL information from our local politicians and Central Coast Council.
We also have a page listing restaurants that are offering take away and delivery – please CLICK HERE for local businesses that are still operating!
As this is a fluid situation, this post will continue to be continually updated. We encourage you to BOOKMARK this page for your reference.
9 September 2021:
The Premier has announced that the Monday after we hit 70% full vaccination – the following settings will be in place for vaccinated people.
Gatherings in the home and public spaces:
– Up to five visitors will be allowed in a home (not including children 12 and under).
– Up to 20 people can gather in outdoor settings.
Venues including hospitality, retail stores and gyms:
– Hospitality venues can reopen subject to one person per 4sqm inside and one person per 2sqm outside, with standing while drinking permitted outside.
– Retail stores can reopen under the one person per 4sqm rule.
– Personal services such as hairdressers and nail salons can open with one person per 4sqm, capped at five clients per premises.
– Gyms and indoor recreation facilities can open under the one person per 4sqm rule and can offer classes for up to 20 people.
– Sporting facilities including swimming pools can reopen.
Schools:
– Schools will re-open with Level 3 COVIDSafe measures in place.
Stadiums, theatres and major outdoor recreation facilities:
– Major recreation outdoor facilities including stadiums, racecourses, theme parks and zoos can reopen with one person per 4sqm, capped at 5,000 people.
– Up to 500 people can attend ticketed and seated outdoor events.
– Indoor entertainment and information facilities including cinemas, theatres, music halls, museums and galleries can reopen with one person per 4sqm or 75 per cent fixed seated capacity.
Weddings, funerals and places of worship:
– Up to 50 guests can attend weddings, with dancing permitted and eating and drinking only while seated.
– Up to 50 guests can attend funerals, with eating and drinking while seated.
– Churches and places of worship to open subject to one person per 4sqm rule, with no singing.
Travel:
– Caravan parks and camping grounds can open.
– Carpooling will be permitted.
Masks:
– Masks will remain mandatory for all indoor public venues, including public transport, front-of-house hospitality, retail and business premises, on planes and at airports.
– Only hospitality staff will be required to wear a mask when outdoors.
– Children aged under 12 will not need to wear a mask indoors.
Information from Adam Crouch MP, Member for Terrigal:
A list of COVID testing clinics is in the documents below.
Update 29.8.21:
Fragments of COVID-19 have been detected at four local sewerage plants.
The Kincumber sewerage plant covers 139,500 people in the suburbs of Avoca Beach, Bensville, Bouddi, Copacabana, Daleys Point, Davistown, East Gosford, Empire Bay, Erina, Forresters Beach, Gosford, Green Point, Hardys Bay, Kariong, Killcare, Killcare Heights, Kincumber, Kincumber South, Koolewong, Lisarow, Macmasters Beach, Narara, Niagara Park, North Avoca, North Gosford, Point Clare, Point Frederick, Pretty Beach, Saratoga, Somersby, Springfield, St Huberts Island, Tascott, Terrigal, Wagstaffe, Wamberal, West Gosford, Wyoming and Yattalunga.
The Bateau Bay sewerage plant covers 39,000 people in the suburbs of Bateau Bay, Blue Bay, Killarney Vale, Long Jetty, Shelly Beach, The Entrance, The Entrance North and Toowoon Bay.
The Toukley sewerage plant covers 29,000 people in the suburbs of Budgewoi, Buff Point, Canton Beach, Halekulani, Magenta, Norah Head, Noraville, Toukley, Tuggerawong, Wyongah, and parts of Gorokan, Kanwal and Lake Haven.
The Charmhaven sewerage plant covers 59,000 people in the suburbs of Blue Haven, Charmhaven, Doyalson, Hamlyn Terrace, San Remo, Wadalba, Warnervale, Wyong and parts of Gorokan, Kanwal and Lake Haven.
If you live or work in one of these suburbs and you have symptoms, no matter how mild,
NSW Health urges you to get tested immediately.
Update 27.8.21:
Most local COVID-19 cases are from people travelling to work in Sydney, and bringing the virus home with them.
This is why we need to limit the mobility of people between Sydney and the Central Coast.
From tomorrow, only authorised workers with a permit will be allowed to travel into Sydney’s local government areas (LGAs) of concern.
This means that anyone who lives on the Central Coast and works in the LGAs of concern will need a permit to go to work.
I know that this is frustrating for some, but I believe we need to do everything possible to stop COVID-19 spreading from Sydney and into our community.
Update 23.8.21:
Member for Terrigal Adam Crouch will launch a community-based campaign today, promoting COVID-19 vaccinations and encouraging local residents to “get back to what we love”. Mr Crouch said COVID-19 vaccinations are the key to the Central Coast’s freedom. “We are in a race against time to get as many people vaccinated as quickly as possible, because increasing our vaccination rate gives us the best shot at having restrictions eased,” Mr Crouch said.
A new COVID-19 rule has come into force today and applies to all of NSW.
Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant is asking that everyone wears a mask when outside their home, except when exercising.
This does not include when you are driving a car or in your frontyard/backyard.
For people in Greater Sydney, this new COVID-19 rule is permanent.
For people in Regional NSW, including the Central Coast, this rule is only temporary and is expected to be lifted on Saturday 28 August.
Permit System:
Here is the updated list of conditions that apply to the permit system:
Any Sydneysider who lives in one of the local government areas (LGAs) of concern will need to have a permit to prove that they are an authorised worker and cannot work from home. Each person will also need to take a COVID-19 test every seven days. (This condition comes into effect on 28 August.)
Any Sydneysider (who lives outside the LGAs of concern) and works within 50 kilometres of Greater Sydney does not need a permit. For example, a nurse who lives in Hornsby and works at Gosford Hospital does not need a permit to travel for work.
Any Sydneysider (who lives outside the LGAs of concern) and works more than 50 kilometres from Greater Sydney needs a permit to travel for work.
Any Sydneysider who owns a holiday home on the Central Coast (regardless of whether it is more or less than 50 kilometres from Greater Sydney) needs a permit to use their home for work accommodation. Only one person, no additional family or friends, can travel for this purpose. For example, a specialist doctor who primarily lives in Manly but works a few days per week at Gosford Hospital needs a permit to use their holiday home as temporary overnight accommodation, and cannot be accompanied by additional family or friends.
Any Sydneysider who needs to undertake urgent maintenance, repairs or animal welfare at their holiday home on the Central Coast (regardless of whether it is more or less than 50 kilometres from Greater Sydney) needs a permit. Only one person, no additional family or friends, can travel for this purpose.
Any Sydneysider who wants to inspect real estate on the Central Coast (regardless of whether it is more or less than 50 kilometres from Greater Sydney) needs a permit. Inspections of investment properties are not allowed.
Any Sydneysider who travels without a permit, or provides false information on their permit application, can be fined up to $11,000 or jailed up to 2 years.
Permit applications are now available on the
Service NSW website.
I can confirm that Central Coast residents do not need permits to travel. This is because our region has been separated from Greater Sydney’s COVID-19 rules.
Update: 5.8.21:
Lake Munmorah Public School will be reopened on Friday, 6 August following two students testing positive for COVID-19. Parliamentary Secretary for the Central Coast and Member for Terrigal said the school has been thoroughly cleaned in accordance with strict NSW Health guidelines. “Online learning is strongly encouraged for all students but the school grounds will be re-opened and are safe for any child who is unable to learn from home,” Mr Crouch said. “Approximately 100 students and staff were onsite at the same time as the two students who tested positive.
“The NSW Department of Education and NSW Health have been working throughout the day to identify close contacts of the confirmed cases and communicate directly with them regarding their requirement to self-isolate.
“I want to thank the Lake Munmorah Public School principal Narelle Baldwin, teachers, staff, students and the wider community for ensuring all necessary Health advice is adhered to.
Update 28.7.21:
The Central Coast has to remain in lockdown due to the Health risk posed by 150 residents that attended the “anti lockdown” last Saturday, as well as the 5 new local cases.
From Saturday, the pause will be lifted on construction and building work in non-occupied settings.
From Saturday, the pause will be lifted on tradies and cleaners, as long as they can work in a contactless way.
Assuming we have no significant increase in local case numbers, face-to-face learning for Year 12 students will begin on 16 August.
A buddy system will be introduced, so that people who live alone can nominate a family member or friend to visit for wellbeing and mental health reasons.
Financial support has been expanded to include medium-sized businesses in addition to small businesses.
The Federal Government is refusing to provide JobKeeper, so the NSW Government has committed to fill the “gap” of $150 per worker per week.
As soon as it is safe to do so, I will ask the Premier to end the Central Coast’s lockdown. Unfortunately, the selfish protestors have trashed our chances of ending the Central Coast’s lockdown this week.
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Regional Development Australia Central Coast (RDACC):
RDACC has compiled an extensive list of resources for the public, please click here to view their page.
Government Provided Information:
Provided by Lucy Wicks MP, Federal Member for Robertson:
– Australian Government Health Page – COVID-19,
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Central Coast Council:
Info: www.centralcoast.nsw.gov.au
Gosford Private Hospital – Please visit their Facebook page for the latest information. Click here
Central Coast Health – Please visit their Facebook page – Click here
RESCHEDULED / POSTPONED:
Information from our members:
Gosford RSL:
Take away meals are still available to visit https://grsl.com.au/takeaway-orders/ or call 43238320
We will continue to update our website and Facebook
Deepwater Plaza:
Introducing Deepwater Plaza’s new contactless food ordering service – Grab n’ go eats!
You can now enjoy your favourite eats from a range of Deepwater Plaza’s best foodies, completely contact-free! Simply order, park, grab and go! It’s that easy. And a perfect Covid-safe option for you during the lockdown.
From Deepwater Plaza 26.6.21:
The New South Wales Government has announced that Greater Sydney, the Blue Mountains, Central Coast and Wollongong will be in lockdown until 11.59 pm on Friday 9 July.
Under the new restrictions, there are only four reasons to leave your home:
• Shopping for food or other essential goods and services
• Medical care or compassionate needs (including getting a COVID-19 vaccine)
• Exercise outdoors in groups of 10 or fewer
• Essential work, or education, where you cannot work or study from home.
Deepwater Plaza remains open for food and essential shopping. To confirm which stores are open and their trading hours, we recommend you check with individual stores, as trading hours may vary during this time.
When visiting Deepwater Plaza please use the QR Code Check-in at the entries as well as at each individual store you visit to assist with contact tracing. Please wear a face mask as required by the NSW Government public health order.
Our priority is the safety, health and wellbeing of our customers, retailers and the local community. Take care of yourself and others.
Follow them on Facebook
To see what Cafes, restaurants and businesses are operating and offering specials – please click here
Messaging / PR / Strategic Communications:
If you’d like assistance with communicating with the public relating to any event cancellations, our sister business Pursuit Communications will help.
