Raft of major COVID-19 restrictions eased in NSW - 9News

New South Wales residents can return to the office and start singing and dancing inside venues as of today, as a raft of COVID-19 measures are eased in the state.

The end to work from home orders comes a day after Premier Dominic Perrottet announced the early winding back of restrictions.

"This is what the new world looks like as the pandemic moves to an endemic phase," Mr Perrottet said.

A raft of COVID-19 measures have been eased in NSW as of today (Bloomberg)

From today, capacity limits in hospitality venues will be removed and QR check-ins will only be required for certain settings like nightclubs or music festivals with more than 1000 people.

Mr Perrottet says from next Friday, masks will only be mandatory on public transport, hospitals and aged care, on planes or inside airports, correctional facilities, and indoor music festivals with more than 1000 people.

"Masks will continue to be encouraged in indoor settings where a safe distance from others cannot be maintained or in customer-facing retail to protect vulnerable people who need to access these services," Mr Perrottet said.

The 20,000-person cap on music festivals will also be removed with singing and dancing permitted from February 25.

From next Friday masks will only be mandatory in certain settings. (Getty)

Hospitals and aged care facilities will continue to use their existing check in systems.

The recommendation of working from home will also change and will return to the discretion of employers.

"We are able to lift these restrictions based on the efforts of people across the state," Mr Perrottet said.

Mr Perrottet said the government understands face masks are an "impediment" when returning to the office, but that will change next week.

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet has announced a range of new freedoms for residents. (Nine)

Hotel quarantine for unvaccinated travellers will be reduced from 14 days to seven days.

He also flagged the return of non-urgent elective surgery in public hospitals.

It comes as non-urgent elective surgery was brought back in regional hospitals and gradually in the private system.

New South Wales reported 9995 new virus cases and 14 deaths.

There are 1447 people in hospital with the virus, including 92 people in intensive care units.

As the vaccine rollout continues, 94.7 per cent of eligible people have had two doses of the vaccine and just under 50 per cent have had three.

Changes to restrictions

FROM TODAY:

• No density limits (previously one person per 2sqm for hospitality venues);
• QR check-ins will only be required for nightclubs, and for all music festivals with more than 1,000 people. Hospitals, aged and disability facilities may use their existing systems for recording visitors;
• Singing and dancing will be permitted at all venues, except music festivals, where singing and dancing can recommence from 25 February;
• The recommendation to work from home will change and be returned to the employer's discretion.

FROM NEXT FRIDAY, FEB 25:

• Masks will only be mandated on public transport, planes, and indoors at airports, hospitals, aged and disability care facilities, corrections facilities and indoor music festivals with more than 1,000 people;
• Masks are encouraged for indoor settings where you cannot maintain a safe distance from others and for customer facing retail staff to protect vulnerable people who must access these premises and services;
• Each State Government agency will review where it may be appropriate for public-facing staff to wear masks and will implement as necessary; and
• The 20,000 person cap on music festivals will be removed, with singing and dancing permitted. Vaccination requirements will remain for indoor music festivals over 1,000 people, with attendees required to have at least two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine.

Spikes will happen 'from time to time'

Mr Perrottet said over the course of 2022 there will be a spike of COVID-19 cases from "time to time".

"From time to time we will see cases increase and at other times decrease, that is not a measure of success or failure - that is living alongside the virus," he said.

Mr Perrottet said as cases increase through winter, restrictions may return for NSW residents.

"We will change settings on a proportionate basis on the circumstance we find ourselves in," Mr Perrottet said.

Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant said Omicron and its "cousins" may continue to be the dominant variant, but Australia should prepare for other variants.

"We will need to plan and prepare for the emergence of new variants, it has surprised many or maybe not some, how prolific COVID-19 has been in throwing off variants," she said.

"And for a variant to be established it needs to be more transmissible or escape prior immunity or vaccine immunity."

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2022-02-17 15:46:51Z
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