Victorian have accused their NSW counterparts of taking too long to mandate masks the combat the coronavirus outbreak on Sydney s Northern Beaches.
Masks were eventually made mandatory in some indoor settings in Greater Sydney from Sunday, more than two weeks after the cluster emerged.
The outbreak spread to Melbourne days after the northern beaches cases first appeared, with more than a dozen testing positive so far.
Nervous Victorian officials scarred by Melbourne s second wave had pleaded with NSW Health early on in the outbreak to make face coverings compulsory.
Masks are now mandatory in some indoor settings in Greater Sydney, including for hospitality workers (pictured), but Victorian health officials had reportedly wanted their NSW counterparts to implement the measure much earlier on in the Northern Beaches outbreak
Victoria should be on high alert amid growing Northern Beaches cluster 20/12/2020|3min
Victoria s Chief Health Officer Professor Brett Sutton says residents in Victoria should be on high alert as the coronavirus cluster grows in New South Wales.
On Sunday, Premier Daniel Andrews declared all of greater Sydney and the Central Coast a red zone, meaning a mandatory 14 days of hotel quarantine is required for those arriving into Victoria, from those areas, from midnight.
“Beyond that the Northern Beaches will become a hot zone and what that means is that nobody who is from those parts of Sydney, greater Sydney, or has visited that part of greater Sydney will be allowed to travel back to Melbourne or any part of Victoria,” Mr Andrews said.
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The holiday season has been thrown into chaos as states throughout Australia grapple with their response to Sydney s northern beaches coronavirus cluster and uncertainty dogs travellers and businesses looking to recover after a slow year.
Tourism providers are bracing for the impact of the reimposition of restrictions to travel, with state governments suggesting border closures are on the table and with some states taking a more aggressive approach to visitors from NSW.
The holiday seasons has been thrown into chaos by the fresh outbreak in Sydney.
Credit:AFR
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian pleaded for state leaders to be “measured” in their imposition of fresh restrictions as the outbreak coincides with a period of mass transit immediately before Christmas.
Border permits add to Sunraysia Christmas stress
New South Wales travellers will need Victorian border permits from midnight Friday.
CONFUSION and added holiday stress was rife among Sunraysia s border residents on Friday following the announcement of a permit system for all NSW residents entering Victoria starting from midnight Friday.
The new measure was in response to Sydney s northern beaches COVID-19 cluster, which late on Friday reached 28.
Little information was provided on how permits would be checked locally, where thousands of motorists cross between the states each day.
During an afternoon press conference, Victoria s Chief Health Officer Professor Brett Sutton said motorists permits would not be checked right on the state s borders, but further inland, where patrols would be set up on Victoria s major highways.