Greater Sydney residents will have to wear masks inside or face a $200 fine as the state recorded another seven new locally-acquired coronavirus cases on Saturday.
Five of the new cases are linked to the Berala cluster in western Sydney, one is a household contact of a previously reported case - a patient transport worker - and there is one remaining case under investigation.
There were almost 32,000 coronavirus tests conducted in the 24-hour period to 8pm on Friday.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced masks for individuals over the age of 12 will be compulsory in certain indoor settings from midnight on Saturday.
This includes shopping centres, entertainment venues like the cinema, hair and beauty salons, on public transport, in places of worship, and gaming areas of establishments. Hospitality workers will also be required to wear masks.
Australians are expected to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine from mid to late February, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said. Mr Morrison said high-priority groups, including healthcare and quarantine workers among others, would receive the treatment first. He hoped the initial phase would start with about 80,000 inoculations a week. However, Mr Morrison said this timeline with depend on a number of factors including final approval from the Therapeutic Good Administation, and delivery of the vaccine from the supplier. He said the Pfizer vaccine would only be delivered and released once TGA approval was given, which he anticipated would occur by the end of January.
NSW coronavirus outbreak: Missing links revealed as three new cases recorded heraldsun.com.au - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from heraldsun.com.au Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Authorities worried thousands could have been infected in Victoria due to 10 days between viral exposure of first case NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian provides a COVID-19 update at a press conference at St Leonards in Sydney, on 1 January 2021. Photo: AAP/Mick Tsikas
1 January 2021 12:26pm
As Victoria shuts its border with New South Wales at 11.59pm tonight, people queue up in the thousands in a last attempt to get through.
Health Minister Martin Foley asked motorists to be prepared for delays and to be patient. Anyone who is in border checkpoint queues at 11.59pm tonight will be let through, but anyone trying their luck in the morning will be denied.