Jubilee Post News & Views
Special Desk
City of Sydney has come out from the lockdown after almost four months, and locals can be seen celebrating the freedom at pubs and shops that opened at midnight when restrictions were lifted in the Australian city.
Many are enjoying anticipated reunions and visits to the homes of relatives and friends. Covid rules had banned household visits and travel beyond a 5km, separating many families. But most restrictions have now been eased for fully vaccinated people.
People can now share meals together at reopened cafes and restaurants, and visit gyms, libraries, and pools. There were long queues for barbers and nail salons too.
“We’re stoked to be back, we’re having the best Monday in months, even before Covid,” Pat Blake, a pub’s licensee, said. “People are just ready to come back and sit down for a schooie [beer], see their friends, be somewhere there’s always music playing,” he said.
The freedom but is not without a reason. Australia’s biggest city was allowed to exit lockdown after the state of New South Wales (NSW) reached a 70% double-dose vaccination target for over-16 years.
More restrictions will ease when 80% of over-16s are fully vaccinated. Currently, over 90% have received a first dose. “It’s been a difficult 100 days,” state Premier Dominic Perrottet said adding: “But the efforts that people have made right across the state, to go out and get vaccinated, has enabled this great day.”
Perrottet warned that NSW was bracing for a surge in Covid cases, but said the healthcare system had been preparing for weeks. The state has not yet imposed a system to check vaccination status, leaving it up to individual businesses.
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Sydney’s lockdown began in late June after a Delta variant outbreak took hold, leading to over 50,000 infections and 439 deaths so far.
It spread to Melbourne and Canberra, prompting those capitals to go into lockdown, as well as to New Zealand. Canberra is due to exit lockdown from Friday, while Melbourne is predicted to reopen in October second half.
