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The Central West NSW towns of Orange, Blayney and Cabonne were placed into a seven-day lockdown overnight after a COVID-19 infected truck driver reportedly visited the area last week.
Residents of the three shire council areas must now stay at home until 12.01am Wednesday 28 July unless it is for one of five essential reasons:
- Shopping for food or other essential goods and services
- Medical care or compassionate needs (including receiving a COVID-19 vaccine)
- Exercise outdoors in groups of two or fewer
- Work or tertiary education (where you cannot work or study from home)
- To attend a wedding or a funeral (but only during a grace period, which ends at 12.01am on Friday 23 July. After this date funerals will be limited to 10 people).
Schools will remain open under these restrictions and all staff and students are expected to still attend school.
In addition, masks must be worn in all indoor settings and outdoors where it is not possible to socially distance from others.
"The government and health experts will continue to monitor the situation closely and provide updated information and advice," says NSW Health.
"We understand this is a difficult time for the community and appreciate their ongoing patience.
"It is vital people continue to come forward for testing to help us find any COVID-19 cases in the community."
Updated at 9.00am AEST on 21 July 2021.
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