NSW has released its roadmap out of the pandemic, with a three stage reopening which starts from October 11 and finishes on December 1.
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So what opens when and who can do what?
We've broken it down for you.
From October 11
NSW has hit 70 per cent of the population over the age of 16 fully vaccinated, as such those who are fully vaccinated will have their first freedoms on October 11.
They include (only for the double-dosed vaccinated):
Gatherings in the home and public spaces:
- Up to 10 visitors will be allowed in a home where all adults are vaccinated (not including children 12 and under).
- Up to 30 people can gather in outdoor settings.
Venues including hospitality, retail stores and gyms:
- Hospitality venues can reopen subject to one person per four square metres inside and one person per two sqm outside, with standing while drinking permitted outside.
- Retail stores can reopen under the one person per four sqm rule (unvaccinated people will continue to only be able to access critical retail).
- Personal services such as hairdressers and nail salons can open with one person per four sqm, capped at five clients per premises.
- Gyms and indoor recreation facilities can open under the one person per four sqm rule and can offer classes for up to 20 people.
- Sporting facilities including swimming pools can reopen, this includes indoor swimming pools for swimming lessons, squad training, lap swimming, and rehab activities.
Stadiums, theatres and major outdoor recreation facilities:
- Major recreation outdoor facilities including stadiums, racecourses, theme parks and zoos can reopen with one person per four sqm, capped at 5000 people (except with an exemption).
- 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 four sqm or 75 per cent fixed seated capacity.
Weddings, funerals and places of worship:
- Up to 100 guests can attend weddings, with dancing permitted and eating and drinking only while seated.
- Up to 100 guests can attend funerals, with eating and drinking while seated.
- Churches and places of worship to open subject to one person per four sqm rule, with no singing. However, choirs of up to 10 people can perform in places of worship but all performers must be vaccinated
Education:
The return starts on October 18 with Kindergarten, Year 1 and Year 12 students. All school students will be back at school from October 25.
Travel:
- Caravan parks and camping grounds can open.
- Carpooling will be permitted.
- Those in regional areas can holiday in other regional areas
- Travel to regional NSW has been postponed until Nov 1.
Non-vaccinated young people aged under 16 will be able to access all outdoor settings but will only be able to visit indoor venues with members of their household.
Employers must continue to allow employees to work from home if the employee is able to do so.
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.
From 80 per cent double dose
NSW is expected to hit 80 per cent double dose vaccination rate for those aged over 16 on the weekend of October 16-17.
Once that rate is hit a second wave of relaxations are due - they have now been slated for October 18.
From that date, the following applies for fully vaccinated citizens:
Gatherings in the home and outdoor public spaces:
- Up to 20 visitors will be allowed in a home (not including children 12 and under)
- Up to 50 people can continue to gather in unregulated outdoor settings
- Up to 200 people can attend COVID Safe events
- Up to 3000 people can attend controlled (ticketed and seated) events
- Community sport permitted
- Those who are not fully vaccinated may only gather outdoors in groups of two people.
Venues including hospitality, retail stores and gyms:
- Retail stores can operate at one person per 4 sqm (those who are not fully vaccinated will continue to only have access to non-critical retail via click-and collect)
- Personal services such as hairdressers, spa, nail, beauty, waxing, tattoo and massage) can operate with one person per 4 sqm (uncapped)
- Hospitality venues can operate with one person per 4 sqm inside and one person per 2 sqm outside, with drinking while standing returning and dancing permitted indoors and outdoors at hospitality venues. Group bookings will no longer be capped. Those who are not fully vaccinated can only access hospitality settings for takeaway
- Gyms and indoor recreation facilities can operate with one person per 4sqm, capped at 20 people per class.
Major outdoor recreation facilities:
Major recreation outdoor facilities including stadiums, racecourses, theme parks and zoos can operate with one person per 4 sqm, capped at 5000 people (or by exemption).
Entertainment, information and education facilities:
- Entertainment facilities (including cinemas, theatres, music halls) can operate with one person per 4 sqm or 75 per cent fixed seated capacity (whichever is larger)
- Information and education facilities (including libraries, galleries and museums) can operate with one person per 4 sqm
- Nightclubs will reopen for seated drinking only (no dancing)
Working from home:
- Employers must continue to allow employees to work from home, if reasonably practicable
- Employers must require employees who are not fully vaccinated to work from home, if reasonably practicable
Education:
All school students will be back at school from October 25. The return starts on October 18 with Kindergarten, Year 1 and Year 12 students.
Weddings, funerals and places of worship:
- There will be no caps on guests at weddings and funerals.
- Churches and places of worship can continue to open with one person per 4 sqm, with no singing. Those who are not fully vaccinated will be allowed.
Travel:
- Unrestricted trips between Greater Sydney and Regional NSW has been delayed until November 1.
- Caravan parks and camping grounds can operate, including for those who are not fully vaccinated
- Carpooling is permitted. Those who are not fully vaccinated can only carpool with their household.
- Quarantine requirements and caps for overseas arrivals will be removed who the Commonwealth Government recognises as fully vaccinated with a TGA-approved vaccine.
Masks:
- Masks will remain mandatory for all indoor premises and settings, except children under 12
- Masks will not be required in office buildings (people who aren't vaccinated will still need to wear them)
- Only hospitality staff will be required to wear a mask while outdoors
From December 1
NSW is expected to hit 90 per cent double-dose vaccination rate on December 1.
On that date, unvaccinated people will be subject to the same rules as the vaccinated.
Gatherings in the home and outdoor public spaces:
- No limit on the number of visitors to a home
- Density will shift to one person per 2 sqm for indoor and outdoor settings
- No limit on the number of people who can attend informal outdoor gatherings
- COVID Safe plan required for outdoor events with more than 1,000 people
Venues including hospitality, retail stores and gyms:
- Retail stores can operate at one person per 2 sqm
- Personal services such as hairdressers, spa, nail, beauty, waxing, tattoo and massage can operate with one person per 2 sqm
- Hospitality venues can operate with one person per 2 sqm inside and outside, with no seating required for eating and drinking
- Gyms and indoor recreation facilities, including indoor pools, can operate with one person per 2 sqm (uncapped)
- Intimate services can open with one person per 4 sqm
Major outdoor recreation facilities:
Major recreation outdoor facilities including stadiums, racecourses, theme parks and zoos can operate with one person per 2 sqm.
Entertainment, information and education facilities:
- Entertainment facilities (including cinemas, theatres, music halls) can operate with one person per 2 sqm
- Information and education facilities (including libraries, museums and galleries) can operate with one person per 2 sqm
Working from home:
Working from home will be at employer's discretion.
Education:
- All year groups return to face-to-face learning.
- Weddings, funerals and places of worship
- One person per 2 sqm for weddings with dancing permitted and eating and drinking allowed while standing
- One person per 2 sqm for funerals
- Churches and places of worship can operate with one person per 2 sqm, with singing permitted.
Travel:
- Domestic travel, including trips between Greater Sydney and Regional NSW
- Caravan parks and camping grounds can operate
- Carpooling is permitted
- Quarantine settings for vaccinated arrivals will be altered. A cap on unvaccinated travellers may remain.
Masks:
- Masks wearing will be mandatory while travelling on public transport, on planes and at airports, and for front-of-house hospitality workers
- Mask wearing is not required when outdoors.