At 12.01am today, a raft of new Covid-19 restrictions came into effect.
The changes come amid a growing number of coronavirus cases in Adelaide – the first cases of community transmission since April – linked to a medi-hotel on Waymouth Street. (As of November 16, there were 19 confirmed and suspected cases linked to the cluster.)
In response, the state government has halted inbound international flights into Adelaide for the rest of the week and reimposed a series of restrictions that are expected to be in place for two weeks. The government has also announced a set of recommendations. Here’s what the new restrictions mean for you.
New Restrictions
• Pubs, clubs, bars, restaurants and cafes must adhere to one-person-per-four-square metre density with a cap of 100 people per venue. Stand-up consumption will once again be prohibited outdoors (it was already prohibited indoors), and group bookings will be capped at 10 people.
• Private gatherings at licensed venues are now capped at 50 (with stand-up consumption no longer allowed).
• Gyms, recreation centres, fitness studios and play centres are closed. Swimming for fitness or rehabilitation is allowed.
• Indoor and outdoor (contact and non-contact) community sports fixtures and training sessions are temporarily cancelled. (This does not include professional or intra-school sports.)
• Funerals are capped at 50 people, and church services are capped at 100. There are no changes to capacity at weddings, but guests must be registered with the Communicable Diseases Control Branch via an online form on the SA Health website.
• Gatherings at private residences are capped at 10 people (down from 50).
• Density at theatres and cinemas is back to one person per four square metres.
• Masks are mandatory in aged-care facilities, with daily limits of two visitors per resident. Staff will be limited to working at one site only.
• Masks are also required by staff at nail and hair salons and tattoo parlours (and encouraged for clients).
Recommended
• Get tested if you feel unwell or show symptoms.
• Work from home if possible.
• Vulnerable members of the community are encouraged to stay at home.
• Avoid having visitors at home.
• Avoid non-essential travel.
• Wear a mask where it’s not possible to physically distance, such as on public transport.
New rules for travelling interstate
• Western Australia has reinstated its hard border with SA. Exemptions apply for essential travellers – check the WA government website for details.
• Anyone travelling from SA to Tasmania now needs to self-isolate for two weeks on arrival. (Anyone who arrived in Tasmania after November 9 needs to self-isolate, too.)
• Travellers from metropolitan Adelaide coming into Queensland need to self-isolate (anyone who has travelled from Adelaide to Queensland since November 9 is required to go into mandatory hotel quarantine immediately.)
• Travellers from SA to NT will need to undergo supervised quarantine or return home.
• Travellers from SA to Victoria may be required to get a test on arrival.
• NSW and the ACT are keeping their borders open for now.
• Check the rules of the state you wish to travel to before you leave.