Several COVID restrictions reinstated by NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet

With almost 110,000 new COVID cases recorded between 5th and 7th January and a significant increase in the number of hospitalised patients, NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet has reintroduced several COVID restrictions.

From tomorrow, elective surgeries will be paused, and singing and dancing will be banned in hospitality venues, entertainment facilities and major recreation facilities. This prohibition will not apply for weddings, or for students and instructors and performers in the settings listed above.

Major events may also be subjected to risk assessments from health authorities and could be postponed at their discretion.

Premier Perrottet labelled the changes as ‘minor’ and ‘proportionate’ as NSW moves through the next phase of the outbreak.

Despite assurances by both Premier Perrottet and Prime Minister Scott Morrison that hospitals were coping well with the Omicron surge in cases, a number of anecdotal reports from medical professionals and across social media have contradicted this.

As with other countries having experienced a surge in Omicron, while data suggests the Omicron variant causes less severe illness, the sheer volume of cases caused by the highly transmissible strain has pushed Australia’s hospitals to their limits.

The Omicron surge has also resulted in many hospitality venues having to close due to the ongoing staff shortage crisis.  

PCR testing delays and the recent government advice instructing people to rely on RAT tests unless symptomatic is likely to mean the true number of people infectious in the community is far higher than official figures.