NSW's COVID rules are changing from tomorrow.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
From Friday, February 18, working from home orders will be ditched, density limits will be removed in hospitality venues, singing and dancing will return and QR codes will be required for music festivals and nightclubs only.
Rules around face masks will also remain the same until a week later. On Friday, February 25, they will no longer be required indoors, but will remain mandatory on public transport and in hospital and aged care facilities.
Masks will also still be required at indoor music festivals with more than 1000 people, on planes and in airports.
They will be encouraged indoors were physical distancing is not possible and for customer service staff.
Working from home could also soon be a thing of the past, with it left to "employer's discretion" from Friday, February 18.
Hotel quarantine will also be reduced for unvaccinated travellers from 14 days to seven days.
READ MORE:
NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet said the restrictions were able to be eased thanks to people's efforts at getting vaccinated.
"In relation to returning to work, we understand that face masks are an impediment to people returning to the office. That change will come in next week (February 25)," he said.
"The reality is, as we move forward, we will have spikes in cases from time to time. As we ease restrictions from tomorrow, from time to time we'll see cases increase and at other times decrease, this is not a measure of success, this is living with the virus.
"Particularly in the winter months more challenges will come our way, but what is most important is that we'll change the settings on a proportionate basis for the circumstances we find ourselves in."
The announcement came as the state recorded another 9995 COVID-19 cases today and a further 14 deaths.
NSW Health also announced 50 per cent of the population aged over 16 in the state has now received three doses of the vaccine.
Kim Chappell
As Senior Producer - Digital for ACM's regional titles I assist newsrooms in digital best practice. Before this role, I was the digital journalist with ACM's national team and prior to that, the digital specialist with ACM's Agricultural division. I started as a general rounds journalist with The Land in 2006, moving up to hold the title of chief of staff before switching to digital reporting in 2015.
As Senior Producer - Digital for ACM's regional titles I assist newsrooms in digital best practice. Before this role, I was the digital journalist with ACM's national team and prior to that, the digital specialist with ACM's Agricultural division. I started as a general rounds journalist with The Land in 2006, moving up to hold the title of chief of staff before switching to digital reporting in 2015.
