Please see below our daily update regarding Lane Cove and other important Covid 19 news. If you have elderly or vulnerable people in the community who do not have access to social media then please ask them to sign up to our newsletter and we will provide information to them via our newsletter. Our newsletter is popular with this demographic. Sign Up here.
First NSW Covid 19 Case For A Child under 10 years old
New South Wales has received its first cases of COVID-19 in a child under 10 years old with a two-month-old boy and a seven-year-old girl testing positive. The two children are not related and the cases are separate.
The two-month-old boy was already in home isolation as a close contact of an adult diagnosed with COVID-19 and the baby is presently displaying only mild symptoms.
The seven-year-old girl was also in home isolation as a known close contact of two adult cases. She did not attend school while symptomatic.
There are currently 10 COVID-19 cases in NSW Intensive Care Units and of those cases, only four require ventilators at this stage.
Stage 2 Shut Downs
On Monday 23rd March 2020 the following non-essential activities and businesses were temporarily shut down:
- pubs (licensed bottle shops attached to pubs may still operate)
- registered clubs
- gyms, indoor sporting venues (this includes indoor dance classes)
- cinemas, entertainment venues (including music halls, concert halls, amusement parks, billiards, pool or gaming arcades)
- casinos and nightclubs
- restaurants and cafes will be restricted to takeaway and/or home delivery (drive through allowed)
- religious gatherings, places of worship (excluding small weddings and funerals that comply with the four square metre rule, which can proceed).
The Prime Minister announced last night, these further non-essential activities and businesses will be temporarily shut down from midnight on 25 March 2020:
- dine-in eating at shopping centre food courts (take-away food can be served and shopping centres remain open)
- real estate auctions and open house inspections (by private appointment only)
- auction houses, auction rooms
- outdoor and indoor markets (with the exception of food markets)
- beauty salons including tanning, waxing and nail salons
- tattoo parlours, spa and massage parlours (excludes health-related services such as physiotherapy)
- sex services premises and strip clubs
- betting agencies
- boot camps and personal training services (with the exception of outdoor groups of no more than 10 people)
- indoor and outdoor play centres
- community and recreation centres, youth centres, community halls
- health clubs, fitness centres, yoga, barre and spin studios, social sporting activities
- saunas, bathhouses, wellness centres
- swimming pools
- galleries, museums, national institutions, historic sites, libraries
The restrictions apply across NSW, including regional and rural NSW.
Activities and businesses that have not been nominated for closure can continue.
The Prime Minister last night stated that hairdressers and barbershops may remain open, but must not have a customer in the room for longer than 30 minutes. Interestingly this time restriction is not included on the NSW Health website.
Restrictions On Weddings and Funerals
Further restrictions apply to the number of people who can attend weddings and funerals at places of worship, with:
- 5 people only for weddings
- 10 people only for funerals
4 Square Metres Rule
Businesses and activities that can continue must still adhere to existing restrictions on mass gatherings by providing 4 metres square of space for each person attending and limiting attendance to:
- 100 people for indoor gatherings and
- 500 people for outdoor gatherings.
Overseas Travel has now been Banned
Australians have been banned from going overseas. Previously the government had only issued advice not to travel.
Stay at Home
The Prime Minister’s message is Stay at home unless it is absolutely necessary for you to go out. The PM said at last night’s press conference:
“Going out for the basics, going out for an exercise, perhaps with your partner or family members, provided it’s a small group, that’s fine.
“But going outside and going out and participating more broadly in the community unless you’re shopping for basics or there are medical needs or you’re providing care and support to an individual at another place is not allowed.”
Keep Guest to Small Numbers
Mr Morrison also said keep visitors “to a minimum with very small numbers of guests”.
That means no BBQ’s or parties or big family Easter gatherings.
Lane Cove Council Update
The following facilities are now closed until further notice:
– Greenwich Baths – closed
– Greenwich Library – closed
– Lane Cove Aquatic Centre – closed
– Lane Cove Community Nursery – closed
– Synergy Youth Centre – closed
– All Council halls – closed
– Lane Cove Library – closed from 5:00 pm Wednesday 25 March. Library to Your Door and the Home Library Service will continue to operate as normal which provides for books, magazines, DVDs and audiobooks to be delivered directly to your home. Information on loans and renewals will be available on the Library website.
Playgrounds within parks: remain open, however, please remember to practice social distancing and good hygiene practices, during and after use.
Kindy Cove Child Care Centre: remains open.
Customer Service, Planning Advice and Justice of the Peace Services: Council has suspended walk-in service at the Civic Centre. Council services are available online, by email [email protected] or phone 9911 3555. Please submit all paper DAs and documents by mail, courier or through the NSW Planning Portal.
Garbage collection start times: due to staffing arrangements and to ensure your garbage is collected, garbage collection will start approximately 60-90 minutes earlier in some areas commencing this week, for example 5:00am start instead of 6:00am. Most of these earlier starts will commence on or near major arterial roads. Your understanding of any inconvenience during this time is appreciated.
Lane Cove Plaza: Council has arranged extra cleaning in the Plaza and is encouraging social distancing with new signs.
Rate payments: The third quarter rates instalment was due on 29 February 2020. If this instalment has not been paid and you require assistance, please contact Council to access Council’s Financial Hardship arrangements.
Telstra Update
Many areas in Lane Cove, Riverview and Longueville still do not have internet or landlines. It appears that an underground cable was cut by a third party. Some customers are being told that the services will be back up by Friday.
There is also apparently scheduled maintenance for some parts of Lane Cove on Thursday 26th March 2020.
Many local businesses have no landlines at the moment to help you.
If you can’t contact a business by landline then please send them an email or a message through Facebook as many are hotspotting with their phones.
Telstra Network Congestion
Emergency Laws Passed by the NSW Parliament
Last night the NSW Govt passed the COVID-19 Legislation Amendment (Emergency Measures) Bill 2020.
Residential Retail and Commercial Leases Evictions
The NSW Government will be able to ban evictions in certain circumstances. The Prime Minister is pushing for a six-month ban. The timeframe has not been finalised and will be discussed tonight by the National Cabinet.
Police Powers
Police will be able to take immediate action on suspected breaches of COVID-19 public health orders, including returning those in breach to their residence or place of quarantine.
Retail Trading Hours
To stop panic buying, supermarkets will be permitted to open on Good Friday, Easter Sunday and Anzac Day in 2020. However, the supermarket must only roster on staff who have elected to work.
Council Elections
The Local Government Act was amended to allow councils to hold official meetings electronically, rather than physically. The Act is also being amended to give the Minister for Local Government the power to postpone the September council elections for 12 months, with a possible further extension to 31 December 2021.
Non Urgent Elective Surgeries Cancelled
Category 1 – Needing treatment within 30 days. Has the potential to deteriorate quickly to the point where the patient’s situation may become an emergency
Category 2 – Needing treatment within 90 days. Their condition causes pain, dysfunction or disability. Unlikely to deteriorate quickly and unlikely to become an emergency
Category 3 – Needing treatment at some point in the next year. Their condition causes pain, dysfunction or disability. Unlikely to deteriorate quickly.
Text Messages from the Government
The Australian Government has begun sending text messages to keep you informed about the national response to COVID-19. The text asks you to click on a link to aus.gov.au
Tokyo 2020 Olympics postponed until 2021
The Olympics won’t be taking place this year.
Schools Remain Open
NSW Schools remain open. However, parents can choose to keep their children at home.
HSC to go Ahead
HSC students across NSW have been told to keep studying for the 2020 exams.
The NSW Education Standards Authority has confirmed HSC will go ahead, and a committee was set up to deal with problems relating to the virus.
NESA chairman Peter Shergold said:
“Whether you’re in public schools, or Catholic Schools or independent schools, because we are all on one page, and that is the HSC is going ahead in NSW this year, no ifs, no buts,”
National COVID 19 Coordination Commission Established
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has announced a National COVID Coordination Commission, The Commission is to act as a problem solver.
The aim of the commission is to have a conversation with the private sector to come up with national solutions — “CEOs talking to CEOs”.
Elderly or Vulnerable People Priority Online Shopping
If you are elderly or vulnerable you can arrange for priority shopping with Woolworths. Coles is working to introduce their priority home deliveries by the end of this week.
Woolworths has introduced Priority Assistance home deliveries to help the elderly, people with disability, those with compromised immunity and those in mandatory isolation. To apply for Priority Assistance delivery, please complete the form at woolworths.com.au/priorityassistance
Coles Online has been temporarily diverted to the Coles Online Priority Service (COPS), allowing them to focus on delivering food and grocery essentials to elderly and vulnerable members of the community, including retirement and nursing homes. They will shortly announce how customers can access COPS; please check www.coles.com.au for more details.
Sydney Community Services (9427 6425) is a central source for anyone in Lane Cove or Hunters Hill who either need to self-isolate or choose to not go outside as they worry they are at risk of the Corona Virus.
If you are a neighbour of someone who may be at risk please check they are ok and let Sydney Community Services know if they need to be on the vulnerable list.
They are putting together a database of people who are in isolation but they also need volunteers who are able to help others who need emergency supplies, or even just give social contact, through a phone link.
They will take referrals by phone on 9427 6425. You can also email [email protected] with your details.
Latest NSW Covid 19 Cases
Closest Covid 19 Testing Clinic
There is a Covid 19 Testing Clinic at Royal North Shore. These clinics are currently assisting with the assessment and testing of people with fever, cough or flu-like symptoms who are returned travellers or a contact of a confirmed case.
NSW Health has stressed these clinics are for those most at risk with respiratory symptoms or fever, those returning from overseas or in contact with a COVID-19 case, or people like health workers. People without symptoms do not need to be tested.
It is vital that these respiratory clinics are not overwhelmed with people who are not in the high risk groups, which could result in delays identifying those most vulnerable.
NSW Department of Health Advice on Social Distancing
Everyone should practise social distancing, as it reduces the potential for transmission.
Social distancing is an effective measure to reduce the potential for transmission, but it is recognised that it cannot be practised in all situations.
While practising social distancing, people can travel to work,including on public transport. For non-essential activities outside the workplace or attendance at schools, universities and childcare – social distancing includes:
- avoiding places where it is difficult to keep the appropriate distance away from others
- avoiding small gatherings in enclosed spaces, for example, family celebrations
- attempting to keep a distance of 1.5 metres between themselves and other people where possible, for example when they are out and about in public place.
- avoiding shaking hands, hugging, or kissing other people
- avoiding visiting vulnerable people, such as those in aged care facilities or hospitals, infants, or people with compromised immune systems due to illness or medical treatment.
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