A press release from Byron Shire Council on the new mandate by the NSW Government to make the wearing of masks when indoors mandatory and to reintroduce checking in with QR codes, has been welcomed by the Mayor of the Byron Shire, Michael Lyon.
It comes after 102 new cases of COVID-19 were recorded in the Northern NSW Local Health District in the last 24 hours with 59 cases in the Byron Shire.
‘I am pleased to hear that the NSW Government is asking for masks to be worn indoors because this is a simple and effective way of protecting yourself and others,’ said Mayor Lyon.
Byron Shire numbers have been increasing
‘I note that as the COVID numbers in the Byron Shire have been increasing in recent weeks so too have the number of people I have seen taking the initiative and wearing masks when shopping and out and about.
‘There is no denying that COVID-19 is now established in our Shire and the reintroduction of QR codes will provide some ability for authorities and members of the public to check to see if they have been to places where they could have been exposed to the virus.
‘I also welcome the announcement that the Government will be supplying free rapid antigen tests to people next year as a way of managing what seems to be the ever-increasing queues of people lining up for COVID tests.
‘Certainly with the high number of COVID infections in the Byron Shire people are trying to get tested but I’m being told that operating hours at some places are reduced and people are being turned away which is concerning.
‘Advice from NSW Health is to now to only get tested if you have symptoms of COVID.’
Council is promoting a COVID-Safe Summer
Byron Shire Council say they are promoting a COVID-Safe Summer for all locals and visitors.
Circles have been painted on the grass at Main Beach, Byron Bay, as a reminder to socially distance and signage is also in place.
‘As we move into Christmas I am hoping that everyone slows down, chills out, wears a mask and gets tested if necessary,’ he said.
‘There are six people in hospital at the moment, one of them in ICU, and the best present we can give to our community and our health workers is to keep these numbers down as much as we possibly can.’
Information about COVID-19, including testing and vaccination clinics, is on Council’s website.
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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