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The regional New South Wales local government areas (LGAs) of Hilltops and Glen Innes will go back into lockdown tonight due to an increased COVID-19 public health risk.
The stay-at-home orders also apply to anyone who has been in the Hilltops LGA including Young and surrounding areas since 3 September, and the Glen Innes LGA since 13 September.
For both LGAs the seven-day stay-at-home order is to come into force from 6.00pm tonight.
Glen Innes' local MP and NSW Minister for Agriculture Adam Marshall made the announcement on Facebook, and said the NSW Chief Health Officer recommended the restrictions come into place to protect the local community.
“I am very sorry and realise this was not the news many of you were wanting to hear, especially small business owners, and I fully appreciate the stress and strain this will place on you,” Marshall said.
“However, in response to the COVID case and the fact that the individual had been active in the community while infectious, the NSW Chief Health Officer convened an independent panel of medical experts to review all the information relevant to the case in Glen Innes.”
The rules for the lockdown will be the same as the regional LGA’s previous restrictions, which were lifted last Thursday.
At the time, the NSW Government said future lockdowns would be for a period of two weeks, but Marshall said in his statement that a panel of independent medical experts recommended just one week for Glen Innes Severn.
"As announced at the time lockdowns were lifted across our region recently, if a case appeared which was active in the community, that LGA would be placed into a 14-day lockdown. Only seven days has been recommended and agreed for the Glen Innes LGA based on the level of risk posed to the community,” Marshall said.
Everyone in the Hilltops and Glen Innes LGAs must stay at home unless it is for an essential reason, which includes shopping for food, medical care, getting vaccinated, compassionate needs, exercise and work or tertiary education if you can’t work or study at home.
People who are fully vaccinated can attend an outdoor gathering of up to five people for exercise or outdoor recreation as long as all of those aged 16 or older are fully vaccinated.
Updated at 2.56pm AEST on 17 September 2021.
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