The National Cabinet met today to discuss further options for easing restrictions over the coming months, helping prepare Australians to go back to work in a COVID-19 safe environment and getting the economy back to a more sustainable level.
The Prime Minister has released a general plan to reopening Australia. However, each State and Territory must implement their own plan. New South Wales has not released their plan and this Mother’s Day the same restrictions apply (only two visitors and their children).
The NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian stated yesterday, and today there would be no immediate changes and the NSW Government would not rush into easing restrictions.
Queensland has released a comprehensive plan with dates when Stage 1 – 3 will be implemented (see below).
The NSW Public Health Orders remain the same as before the PM’s announcement today, and you could be fined if you have a party or more than two people (and kids) at your house.
Reopening a COVID-safe Australia and economy
The National Cabinet met today to finalise the three-step plan to remove baseline restrictions and make Australia COVID-safe gradually.
The Prime Minister said:
“We are confidently and cautiously taking the first step to lifting restrictions. Our success so far means we have slowed the spread of COVID-19 and built the capacity in our health system to manage the impact of the virus. We can now start to progressively ease the restrictions we have in place. The AHPPC has provided strong advice on the conditions that must be met as we establish COVID safe ways of working and living so that we can reopen parts of the economy in the safest possible way while living with COVID-19. This means that many Australians can start getting out to the shops, undertaking some local trips and travel, visiting playgrounds and public parks, and having friends and family around with a bit more freedom.
But the National Cabinet is very clear: continued suppression of COVID-19 is about collective action. Success depends on maintaining our new community norms – physical distancing, good hygiene practices and downloading the COVIDSafe app to keep us all safe while we are out and about.
For businesses, this also means taking the time to prepare and develop a plan to operate in a COVID safe way to protect their customers and workers. With every one of us playing our part, we should all feel safe and confident in leaving the house and starting to do some of the things we’ve missed in the last few months – like getting back to work, having a quick bite in a restaurant or cafe, attending auctions and open houses, and participating in group exercise.”
Three Stage Plan
For each of the major areas of restrictions, the National Cabinet has set out three key steps between where we are today and where National Cabinet wants us to be.
- Step 1 will focus on carefully reopening the economy, and giving Australians opportunities to return to work and social activities, including gatherings of up to 10 people, up to 5 visitors in the family home and some local and regional travel.
- Step 2 builds on this with gatherings of up to 20, and more businesses reopening, including gyms, beauty services and entertainment venues like galleries and cinemas.
- Step 3 will see a transition to COVID safe ways of living and working, with gatherings of up to 100 people permitted. Arrangements under step 3 will be the ‘new normal’ while the virus remains a threat. International travel and mass gatherings over 100 people will remain restricted.
Click here to view detailed plan of the steps (PDF 174 KB), as well as a summary (PDF 175 KB)
Community Sport
We have had a few people ask when Lane Cove Community Sport will start again. It looks like games will not begin until July, but training might take place before that under the AIS guidelines which can be found here.
Social Distancing to Remain in Place
Each step we take needs to be underpinned by a strong commitment from all of us to:
- stay 1.5 metres away from other people whenever and wherever we can
- maintain good hand washing and cough/sneeze hygiene
- stay home when we’re unwell, and getting tested if we have respiratory symptoms or a fever,
- download the COVIDSafe app so we can find the virus quickly, and
- Develop COVID safe plans for workplaces and plans.
What Next..?
NSW is to announce how they will implement the 3 step plan. A time frame for this announcement has not been advised.
National Cabinet also committed – as part of the three-step plan – to regular reviews and stocktake assessments of the progress every three weeks. They will be closely monitoring the situation as restrictions are eased. This will enable them to assess the impact of changes, track progress against our agreed precedent conditions, determine the pace of moving through the steps, and make any further decisions.
So long as Australians keep living and working in a COVID safe way and case numbers are low the National Cabinet will continue taking steps on the pathway to relaxing more restrictions.
National Cabinet’s goal is to have a sustainable COVID safe Australia in July 2020.
National Cabinet will meet again on Friday 15 May 2020.
Below is how Queensland has implemented the plan. As they have had few cases than NSW and Victoria, they will be starting to relax the restrictions earlier.
Click here to see this diagram.
Latest COVID 19 Lane Cove Area and Nearby Suburb Cases
Postcode 2066 (Lane Cove Suburbs)
16 Confirmed Cases
4Active Cases
12 Recovered Cases
1595 Tested
31 626 Population
Postcode 2065 (Greenwich is included in this postcode)
22 Confirmed Cases
4 Active Cases
18 Recovered Cases
1546 Tested
30 119 Population
Postcode 2067 (Lane Cove North and Chatswood West are included in this postcode)
2 Confirmed Cases
1Active Cases
1 Recovered Cases
810 Tested
26403 Population
Get Tested if You have Symptoms
The NSW Government wants as many people as possible to be tested if they are showing any symptoms.
Details of where you can be tested near Lane Cove here.
St Ignatius College Restrictions
A letter has been sent to houses bordering SIC Riverview to advise that as from Sunday 10th May 2020 boarders will be returning to school and their grounds will be closed to the community. The College has always been very generous, allowing locals to use their green areas and to walk through the school; however, this step has been taken to protect the staff and students.
Woolworths Removing Community Hour
Woolworths is going back to their regular trading hours.
That means they will phase out the Community Hour. They are now offering a permanent 10% discount on Delivery Unlimited for over-60s. See details here.
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