Moderately large crowds celebrated the end of 2020 and the start of 2021 throughout north coast towns.
Overall, police say they were generally pleased with crowd behaviour locally and throughout the state.
Yet in Byron Bay, social distancing on the streets and parks was rarely adhered to, while venues had mandatory COVID-19 protocols in place.
Meanwhile, physical distancing in public and mask wearing ‘when unable to keep 1.5 metres away from others’ is being advised by local authorities. The reminder comes as parts of Sydney enter mandatory mask restrictions owing to COVID-19 clusters.
Victoria is also affected.
Mask wearing advised
Director North Coast Public Health, Paul Corben says, ‘To reduce risk of transmission, residents and visitors to the region should continue to present for testing if they have even the mildest of symptoms’.
Free testing, without appointment, is available at Byron Central Hospital. The hospital is located on Ewingsdale Road.
Mr Corben says, ‘People are asked to practice physical distancing when out and about, wear a mask when unable to keep 1.5 metres away from others, wash their hands regularly, comply with public health advice about mass gatherings and special events and follow COVID Safe directions when visiting local venues’.
According to Lynne Weir, Acting Chief Executive, Northern NSW Local Health District, there have been ‘No new confirmed cases of locally acquired COVID-19 reported in Northern NSW Local Health District residents, since July 25’.
‘Two new cases have been recorded in Lismore City Council area on January 3, [and they] acquired their infection overseas’.
Recent stories, information and updates regarding COVID-19
New data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics Life shows life expectancy in Australia has decreased slightly for the second year in a row. An international team of researchers has found more evidence that COVID-19 came from animals in a Wuhan food market. The lab-leak theory that Covid-19 came from the Wuhan Institute of Virology – instead of a nearby wet market – was thrashed about in public recently, with the US Senate Homeland Security Committee holding a hearing into Covid-19. Eighteen schools in the Northern Rivers division of Richmond have received $25,000 each as part of the federal government’s School Upgrade Fund, Labor Member for Richmond Justine Elliot said last week. COVID-19 reversed earlier trends toward longer life expectancies. During the pandemic, life expectancies globally dropped by 1.6 years according to a new study published in the Lancet medical journal. Let’s not forget that Covid-19 is still a big issue in our community with 31,935 cases reported across Australia in the last week – an average of 4,562 cases per day. The Global Carbon Budget is about to be refreshed, giving the world a critical insight into how efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions are (or are not) progressing. Masks will no longer be mandatory on public transport from tomorrow, Wednesday 21 September. SW Police are urging festival-goers at this weekend’s music festival to celebrate in a safe and responsible manner, whilst also being aware of COVID-Safety measures. The Northern NSW Local Health District reports that to 4pm yesterday, Sunday May 22, there were 40 COVID-19 positive patients in hospital in Northern NSW, with one of these in ICU.
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