North Beaches lockdown extended

A lockdown in Sydney's northern beaches area will be extended for at least another week and a half after NSW recorded more cases of community transmission of COVID-19. Restrictions on New Years Eve celebrations are also announced.

A general view of Manly beach, in Sydney, Saturday, December 26, 2020. Source: AAP

The stay-at-home orders applying to Sydney's Northern Beaches residents will continue with stricter limits on gatherings announced.  In the northern zone, a cap on indoor and outdoor gatherings of five people within that zone applies until January 9, while in the southern zone, the cap is ten people until January 2.   A woman who posted on social media she would leave hotel quarantine in Perth and was later caught by police after fleeing her accommodation has returned a negative COVID-19 test result.   There is renewed optimism about the roll out of the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine.   Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt announced  that Australia's vaccine program is on track and ahead of schedule