New and expanded lockdowns impact more than half of Australia

Australia’s worsening Coronavirus crisis has seen the NSW Government extend its lockdown restrictions to the Hunter Valley and Newcastle while the Victorian Government entered the state into its sixth COVID-19 lockdown as of 8pm last night.

With the lockdowns introduced because of infectious cases in the community, more than half of the country is now in lockdown.

The NSW Government’s snap week-long lockdown for the Newcastle and the Hunter region means the area is now subject to the same lockdown rules as Greater Sydney, including the Central Coast, which only permit leaving home for four reasons.

It sees the closure of all aquatic, fitness and recreation facilities, along with visitor attractions and public entertainment venues.

It applies to the Newcastle, Cessnock, Dungog, Lake Macquarie, Maitland, Muswellbrook, Port Stephens and Singleton local government areas

Victoria’s latest COVID-19 lockdown, which is set to last for seven days, mean there are only five reasons to leave home - for authorised work or permitted education, for caregiving or medical care, for exercise up to two hours a day, to shop for essential items and to get a COVID-19 vaccination.

Shopping and exercise must be within 5 kilometre of home while masks are required in all indoor and outdoor public spaces.

The latest Victorian lockdown has seen AFL Victoria advise that all community football matches, training and Auskick will not be permitted to take place during this time.

In a statement, AFL Victoria advised “regarding what this means for community football matches fixtured during the lockdown period, independent leagues are ultimately responsible for determining the approach they will take regarding interruptions to their competitions.”

These two latest locked down areas join South East Queensland and Greater Sydney in being subjected to tight stay-at-home restrictions. The lockdown in Queensland is set to end on Sunday - although authorities have yet to confirm this.

Image: Newcastle's Bathers Way. Credit: Destination NSW.