News by James O’Doherty
Premium Content NSW Health has effectively placed 250,000 people on the Northern beaches under a three-day stay at home order after COVID cases tripled on Thursday. Twelve additional cases were detected after a testing blitz on last night, taking the outbreak to a total of 17 cases. The aircrew van driver from southern Sydney who tested positive earlier this week is not included in this cluster. The timing of the outbreak could not be worse - a week out from the busy Christmas period - has many Australians on edge over holiday bookings interstate. Northern Beaches local residents line up at Mona Vale hospital for a COVID-19 test as a cluster in the area grows. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Jeremy Piper
News by Janet Fife-Yeomans & Nick Hansen 18th Dec 2020 6:45 AM
Premium Content Avalon was a ghost town yesterday, with shops and cafes closed, Woolies almost deserted and even the local post office shut down as terrified locals of the northern beaches suburb either stayed home or joined the long queues for COVID testing. The usually laid-back surfing mecca was suddenly a seething mass of fear, anger and frustration as it got ready to say goodbye to Christmas. A surfer looks on as residents line up at Mona Vale Hospital for a COVID-19 test on Thursday. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Jeremy Piper In the close-knit community almost everyone knows someone who was at the Avalon RSL on Sunday night dancing to the band called Nothing Too Serious, whose drummer tested positive on Thursday to the virus, along with an elderly couple who had hit the dancefloor.