The Australian state of New South Wales (NSW) has opened up for fully vaccinated people from Nov. 8, with most restrictions being eased.
Density restrictions for businesses have changed from one person per 4 square metres to one person per 2 sqm. Booking limits at hospitality venues are no longer required.
Indoor swimming pools are able to reopen for all purposes, rather than just laps and swimming lessons.
Stadiums, racecourses, theme parks, zoos, cinemas, and theatres can now operate at 100 percent of fixed seated capacity.
Dancing is permitted in nightclubs and strip clubs, and drinking alcohol is not required to be seated anymore.
Students, who have already returned to face-to-face learning, can now enjoy music classes, excursions, and assemblies.
But 4,900 teachers who are not yet fully vaccinated will be suspended.
This follows the NSW governments announcement last week that unvaccinated residents in the state will have to wait until Dec. 15 to enjoy these same freedoms or until the state reaches the 95 percent double vaccination target, whichever happens first.
Perrottet explained that the change was due to faster-than-expected vaccination rates and that postponing the date for freedom for the unvaccinated was to motivate more people to come out and get vaccinated.
“We believe that by moving that date back to the 15th of December, it will incentivise people,” he said last week.
“We are hopeful that we can get that rate up to 95 percent — that will not just be nation-leading, it will be world-leading as well.”
Sydney’s mass vaccination hub at Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney Olympic Park, will return to hosting sport and entertainment events from Monday. The arena has delivered over 360,000 vaccine doses since Aug. 9.
NSW reported 187 new local cases and seven deaths on Nov. 7.
The state’s two-dose vaccination rate for people aged 16 or above has reached 89.8 percent, while 93.9 percent of people have got their first dose.
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