Australian state New South Wales introduces new COVID-19 strategy and lifts restrictions
Lockdown restrictions in the Australian state of New South Wales will ease earlier than expected for some as authorities unveil a two-tiered system to grant vaccinated people more freedoms.
Vaccinated persons will now enjoy an array of eased restrictions including greater freedom of movement around the state, after being subject to some of the world’s heaviest restrictions for many weeks.
Those not fully inoculated, however, will be banned from resuming community sports, dining out, shopping and other activities until the vaccination rates push past 80-90%. At present, around 73% of New South Wales residents are fully vaccinated and over 90% have had the first jab. The state is expected to reach its 80% double-dose target by the end of October.
In the short-term into the summer months, expect restrictions to continue to ease as the state gradually opens up. Limits on gatherings, travel and masks will be significantly reduced. In the long-term, expect international travel to resume slowly, thought it will commence for vaccinated Australians around early December.
Expect New South Wales’ easing restrictions to put greater pressure on the state of Victoria, who are now officially the most locked down state in the world, to open up.
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