Travel restrictions will ease and stay-at-home orders will be lifted for people entering the ACT from Victoria, South Australia and the regional NSW LGAs of Orange City Council, Blayney Shire Council and Cabonne Shire Council.
It was confirmed today by the relevant state health authorities the lockdowns in the two states and three LGAs would end tonight.
People already in the ACT under stay-at-home orders relating to these areas will be released at 11.59pm tonight.
ACT Health says people travelling to the ACT from South Australia will need to complete a declaration form before they arrive in the Territory. People arriving from the regional NSW LGAs do not need a declaration form before they travel.
Health authorities are still urging Canberrans to reconsider any interstate travel and avoid COVID-19 affected areas as the situation continues to worsen in NSW with case numbers rising.
NSW recorded 172 new cases of COVID-19 today, with at least 79 of those in the community while infectious.
‘No immediate risk’ to the ACT
ACT Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith said despite NSW’s worsening situation there would be no changes to ACT restrictions at this time.
“There are no active cases in the ACT and our latest wastewater results are negative for COVID-19 fragments in the ACT catchment,” she said.
“While the situation in NSW is serious, there is no indication the ACT is at immediate risk. After careful assessment of the current situation, there are also no further changes to ACT restrictions at this time.”
Ms Stephen-Smith said the ACT would act quickly in the event of an outbreak in the Territory, but wouldn’t impose a hard border with NSW. The ACT Government is looking at a “border bubble” with the surrounding region in the event of a change in travel restrictions or a lockdown.
“Within our region there are thousands of essential workers who travel to the ACT each day, and thousands of people who rely on the ACT for essential goods and services.”
The ACT once again recorded no cases of COVID-19 today.
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