Lismore will come out of lockdown when stay at home orders are lifted at 12.01am, this Saturday, September 11.

The good news was announced this morning by NSW Premier Glady Berejiklian who said only parts of regional NSW currently that are deemed ‘low risk’ and have seen zero Covid cases for at least 14 days will emerge from lockdown.

Ms Berejiklian said it was a “bitter sweet day for the regions, as some open, some won’t”.

The eased restrictions will be applied in regional centres such as Lismore, Byron Bay, Albury, Wagga Wagga, Tamworth, Coffs Harbour, Port Macquarie and Griffith.

Thirty-eight areas in NSW will remain in lockdown due to the risk of COVID-19, including the Central Coast, Upper Hunter, Shoalhaven and Dubbo.

Restrictions

“You are not coming back to a pre-lockdown environment,” Ms Berejiklian said. “There will continue to be restrictions.

“There will be capacity limits and a 4sqm rule in venues, mask wearing and social distancing.

“Community sport will not be allowed.

“But can get back to shopping and businesses will be able to open,” Ms Berejklian said.

“If there is Covid seeding across the regions and there is an active case in your community, you will go back into lockdown for 14 days.

“One case is too much in the regions… and sewage surveillance will continue.

“Fingers crossed that this level of opening up will give us an ability to get back to normal.”

Travel freedoms

While from Saturday, we can leave our LGA and visit the beach, Deputy Premier John Barilaro said “if you don’t have to travel, don’t travel”.

“If you come to Sydney now, then stay at home orders for 14 days will continue to apply when you return home,” he said.

Vaccinated freedoms

Both the Premier and the Deputy Premier made it clear that while there is a staged opening of some areas this week, the national roadmap (which will be released in October) will mean some new freedoms will only be on offer to people who are double vaccinated.

“The ultimate passport to freedom is vaccination and I don’t want this opening to slow down vaccinations,” the Premier said. “We want to make sure regional and rural NSW continue to get vaccinated.

“We can’t afford to have vaccinated people mixing with unvaccinated people. That is where the risk of transmission increases.”

Mr Barilaro strongly advised everyone in regional NSW to “get vaccinated as soon as you can”.

“Our communities need to continue to get vaccinated so that when NSW reaches 70 and 80%, restrictions can ease significantly,” he said.

“At 80% double dose vaccinations, there is a potential opening up to international travel.

"Any new freedoms for those vaccinated will come into place the Monday after the 80% double dose rate is reached."

The following freedoms will be available from Saturday to all people in regional LGAs where stay-at-home orders have lifted: 

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% 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.  

Covid statistics

Yesterday, there were 1405 new cases of Covid in NSW and five deaths. 202 people were in ICU and there were 107000 vaccinations, but the rate is declining.

Stay-at-home orders will remain in place in the following LGAs: 

∙ Bathurst Bega 

∙ Blayney 

∙ Bogan 

∙ Bourke 

∙ Brewarrina 

∙ Broken Hill  

∙ Cabonne 

∙ Central Coast

∙ Central Darling

∙ Cessnock 

∙ Dubbo 

∙ Dungog 

∙ Eurobodalla 

∙ Forbes 

∙ Gilgandra 

∙ Goulburn Mulwarre 

∙ Kiama 

∙ Lake Macquarie 

∙ Lithgow 

∙ Maitland 

∙ Mid-Coast 

∙ Mid-Western 

∙ Muswellbrook 

∙ Narrabri 

∙ Narromine 

∙ Newcastle 

∙ Orange 

∙ Parkes 

∙ Port Stephens 

∙ Queanbeyan-Palerang

∙ Shellharbour 

∙ Shoalhaven 

∙ Singleton

∙ Snowy Monaro

∙ Upper Hunter 

∙ Walgett 

∙ Wingecarribee