Yass Valley will enter into a two week lockdown beginning Tuesday 12.01am 14 September after a positive COVID-19 case in the area.

Fragments of the virus that causes COVID-19 were detected in Yass over the weekend, but NSW Health confirmed a positive case and an update to the health directions late on Monday afternoon. 

“Urgent investigations and contact tracing are underway,” it said in a statement. 

Everyone in the Yass Valley Council area must now stay at home unless it is for one of these essential reasons:

• Shopping for food or other essential goods and services.
• Medical care or compassionate needs (people can leave home to have a COVID-19 vaccination unless you have been identified as a close contact).
• If you are fully vaccinated, you can attend an outdoor gathering of up to five people for exercise or outdoor recreation so long as all those at the gathering aged 16 years or over are fully vaccinated.
• Work, or tertiary education, where you cannot work or study from home.
• To attend a wedding or a funeral. A maximum of 11 people can attend a wedding service. This means a maximum of five guests, the two people being married, the two witnesses, the celebrant or officiant, and one person recording the service. A maximum of 10 people can attend a funeral.

People in Yass Valley must also wear a mask in all indoor and outdoor areas, other than place of residence. This includes when you are on a street, in a park, at the shops or even work. There are limited exceptions, such as where you are in a vehicle with members of your household or your nominated visitor, when exercising, when eating or drinking, and in emergencies.

The Southern NSW Local Health District announced one other case today in Karabar, a household contact of a previous known case.

Of the total 1257 new cases for the entire state of NSW to 8pm on Sunday, 78 are from Nepean Blue Mountains, 27 are from Illawarra Shoalhaven, 18 are from Hunter New England district, 16 are from the Central Coast and two are from Southern Local Health District.

Click here for more information on where to get tested in NSW.

With AAP

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