Page 2163 - Week 08 - Tuesday, 3 August 2021
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contacts were potentially residing in the ACT. In response to this, ACT Health worked closely with NSW Health to identify 26 contacts in the ACT who were all classed as casual contacts, based on risk assessments. ACT Health supported these individuals to get tested and remain in isolation until they received a negative test result. Fortunately, all 26 casual contacts returned negative tests and were subsequently released from isolation.
In addition to the travel restrictions for the Greater Sydney region, stay-at-home requirements were implemented for anyone travelling from the local government areas of Orange, Blayney and Cabonne on or after 21 July, after an individual transited these areas of regional New South Wales on 17 July while infectious with COVID-19. Several exposure locations were identified, and the New South Wales government instructed people in these local government areas to follow stay-at-home orders until 12.01 am on 28 July. The ACT lifted its stay-at-home requirement for Orange, Blayney and Cabonne LGAs following the conclusion of the New South Wales government’s orders. The ACT government will continue to monitor the situation in New South Wales, and in particular the surrounding region, and we may introduce further travel restrictions if they are needed to minimise the risk of virus transmission in the ACT.
Since my last update to the Assembly, the states of Victoria and South Australia and local government areas in the Northern Territory, Western Australia and Queensland have been under stay-at-home orders for periods of time due to outbreaks linked to interstate incursions of COVID-19. In response to these stay-at-home restrictions, the ACT government mirrored the requirements set by the jurisdictions, with ACT residents required to complete a declaration form within 24 hours prior to entering the ACT from the impacted jurisdiction, and non-ACT residents only permitted to enter with an approved exemption. Once in the ACT, impacted individuals were required to stay at home except for essential purposes and to wear a mask when leaving home.
On Saturday, 31 July, a stay-at-home order was introduced for 11 local government areas identified by the Queensland government. Given the risk associated with the fact that there is a missing link for an overseas traveller to the known cases in South East Queensland, the ACT has implemented a stay-at-home requirement for anyone who left these LGAs on or after 21 July. Yesterday, in line with a Queensland government announcement that its stay-at-home order would be extended until Sunday, 8 August, the ACT’s stay-at-home requirement was also extended. We are closely monitoring the situation in South East Queensland and will continue to assess the risk to Canberrans as it evolves.
The ACT government encourages Canberrans to minimise interstate travel at this time, and to be prepared to reconsider plans at short notice. We understand that this is a difficult time for many people in our community and we acknowledge the impact that travel restrictions have on families, workers and our border communities. The Chief Health Officer will continue to assess the risk of interstate outbreaks to the ACT and amend our travel restrictions, as necessary. With state outbreaks continuing to occur across the country, it is also once again a stark reminder for all of us to maintain our COVID-safe behaviours and keep up to date with the latest health advice, to protect our community. This includes staying home if you are unwell; getting tested for
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