SYDNEY: Sydney on Wednesday (Dec 23) eased lockdown restrictions for Christmas after Australia’s largest city reported the second day of the latest COVID-19Â cases in the single digits.
Amid a record testing and tracing effort, just eight new cases have been recorded in the past 24 hours, prompting authorities to announce all residents may have at least some visitors over to celebrate the festive period.
“Everyone has had a very tough yr,” mentioned state Premier Gladys Berejiklian, saying the “modest” three-day easing of restrictions.
Berejiklian mentioned most Sydneysiders can be allowed to invite 10 adults to their homes, with that quantity restricted to 5 within the neighborhoods at the epicenter of the outbreak.
She mentioned the relaxing of guidelines was possible due to the low number of new cases – 16 in the past 48 hours – and since most have been linked to known infections.
The eased restrictions stand in stark contrast to many locations in Europe and elsewhere, which have been forced to tighten lockdown and travel guidelines because the virus’ spread accelerates.
The cluster of cases in Sydney’s northern beaches now stands at just below 100, after a chronic period of no community transmission.
The outbreak has seen the usually bustling city center empty, and residents flocking to testing sites in record numbers
“I have been so buoyed by the way the community has responded to what we have requested them to do,” mentioned Berejiklian.
“The testing numbers have been so pleasing. The best way wherein the northern beaches community, particularly, has responded has been so positive.”
Regardless of the easing, she urged Sydney residents to use discretion.
“The very last thing any of us want to do is inadvertently give the disease to those closest and dearest to us,” she mentioned.
