Even as COVID-19 restrictions continue to ease, Central Coast residents are still not permitted to travel to other regional areas until November 1, with the State Government wanting to allow more time for people in the regions to be vaccinated before opening them up.
Coast residents can only travel between Shellharbour, Wollongong, Blue Mountains and Greater Sydney.
But Swansea MP, Yasmin Catley, says that decision has split the community in two in the Swansea electorate which extends from San Remo/ Budgewoi to Valentine/ Jewells in the north.
Catley has written to the Health Minister requesting double vaccinated people from the Coast be allowed to visit family in the Lake Macquarie and Hunter areas.
“Under the current rules we have families who live just five kilometres from each other, but are prevented from seeing each, and must wait another three weeks despite having done the right thing and getting double vaccinated,” she said.
“Whilst I understand the decision to stop travel to small regional areas and towns, the Lake Macquarie local government area has a near identical vaccination rate to the Central Coast,” she said.
Since Monday, more restrictions have eased as the state hit the 80 per cent double vaccination mark.
Community sport will resume, more friends and family will be reunited as numbers of people allowed at gatherings increase, and there will no longer be a cap on guests at weddings and funerals.
Masks will also no longer be required in offices and drinking while standing and dancing will be permitted indoors and outdoors at hospitality venues.
Leisure centres, gyms and pools have opened their doors and there will be a staged re-opening of various other facilities in the coming weeks.
Libraries at Toukley, Tuggerah, Kincumber and Woy Woy are open, click and collect continues at others until they re-open in coming weeks, and Bookmobile will start-up again from Monday, November 1.
The Buttonderry waste management facility and community recycling centre on Hue Hue Rd, Jilliby has re-opened.
Starting on Monday, October 25, sports programs at leisure centres and swimming lessons at pools will resume, and Niagara Park Stadium will re-open.
Central Coast Stadium will re-open on November 1.
Council Administrator, Rik Hart, said it was wonderful to see the vibrancy return to the Coast after a long period of lockdown.
“To say that we are thrilled to re-open is an understatement – it is exciting to see activity return to venues and small businesses across the Coast as we get back to a freer way of living.
“We’ve already re-opened a number of our facilities in line with Public Health Orders and a host are scheduled to open their doors very soon.
“This is a particularly important time to support local businesses and provide a much-needed boost to the Coast economy, but it is also vital that we are careful when we are out and about and ensure we carefully follow all safety requirements,” Hart said.
He said that as required by the Public Health Orders for the Central Coast region, in-person attendance at Council facilities and venues was currently only an option for fully vaccinated people.
All Council facilities and venues have thorough COVID safety plans which are updated to reflect any changes to the Public Health Orders that apply to the Central Coast.
These include QR code sign in, vaccination required, mask wearing indoors, physical distancing of 1.5m, rigorous cleaning, and staff trained in COVID-safe practices.
All visitors over the age of 16 are required to show their vaccination certificate, sing-in using the QR code and wear a correctly fitted mask.
Children under the age of 16 are not required to show a vaccination certificate but must be accompanied by a fully vaccinated adult from the same household.
More information is available online at centralcoast.nsw.gov.au and searching “COVID-19”.
Sue Murray