With Lismore coming out of lockdown at midnight tonight - and new venues of concern appearing every day, the question could be asked - are we opening up again too soon? Read more: BREAKING NEWS: Lismore to come out of lockdown tonight

With school holidays upon us and our neighbouring LGAs of Byron and Tweed under Stay at Home Orders for seven days, where will any potential holiday makers travel to now that their coastal holiday destinations are in a lockdown?

To add to the rapidly changing Covid landscape of open and closed regional areas, today a Covid positive case was confirmed to have visited Wardell and Cabbage Tree Island in Ballina LGA. Read more: Covid case visits Wardell and Cabbage Tree Island

Travellers, holidays and lockdowns

Yesterday's lockdown in Byron and Tweed LGAs was announced after a film crew member of the Tv show 'I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here', travelled up from Sydney to work in the region – and was found to be Covid positive.

The person had visited multiple venues across Byron and Tweed regions and had not used QR codes to check in. Today, more venues of concern in Byron were released by the Northern NSW Local Health District (NNSWLHD).

The venues just released are:

Read more: New venues of concern for Byron and Kingscliff

Covid case charged for breaching health orders

In the NSW Premier’s press conference this morning, the Premier said that the individual responsible for triggering the Byron lockdown had been charged – and was also double vaccinated.

“The person breached health orders and went to multiple venues,” Ms Berejiklian said. “I’m really glad the police have charged them.”

When asked about whether the person’s vaccinations were effective and why the two LGAs were plunged into lockdown so quickly, NSW chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant said “this person’s second dose was recent and may not have taken full effect”.

“We can get breakthrough infections in those double vaccinated, but vaccination does reduce your chance of passing it on,” she said.

“The venues the person went to are high risk – and the area has low vaccination coverage, so we have taken a precautionary approach.”

Vaccine hesitancy

With a lower than State average rate of Covid vaccinations, Dr Chant said Byron LGA was one of the areas being assessed by the government to work how to change the minds of the vaccine hesitant population.

“Maybe the Byron population needs be convinced by science,” she said. “There’s lots of misinformation on social media –and I encourage people to go to reputable sources to get their vaccine information.”

The Premier said the Covid cases visiting the Byron area and triggering the lockdown could be what the community needed to change their minds about vaccines.

“When communities experience the disease, it brings them into sharper focus - and also a warning that noone can be complacent.”

New Byron venues of concern

A NNSWLHD spokesperson said anyone who attended the Byron or Tweed venues of concern at the times listed is considered a casual contact and must get tested and isolate until they get a negative result.

“If you are directed to get tested for COVID-19 or self-isolate at any time, you must follow the rules given to you by Health staff, whether or not the venue or exposure setting is listed on the NSW Health website."