Two-person rule eased amid changes to social distancing in NSW
NSW Premier Gladys Berejkilian has announced the state will ease its coronavirus restrictions on Friday by allowing two adults to visit someone else.
Previously social visits to other people’s homes were banned, and only one person was allowed into a home for care purposes and to visit or assist vulnerable people.
Ms Berejiklian said the move was to help the mental health of residents who have been forced to stay home.
“Two adults will be able to go and visit anybody else in their home, on the basis of care, on the basis of reducing social isolation and everybody’s mental health” she said, saying children would also be allowed to accompany them.
Ms Berejiklian clarified two adults would be able to visit a household of multiple residents.
She said it was vital to continue social distancing under the new rules and was confident the people of NSW will be responsible when attending other homes.
"Don't take risks. We don't want to see the numbers suddenly spike up because people are being irresponsible," Ms Berejkilian warned.
She said the change would inevitably increase the number of cases in NSW however stressed hospitals across the state were prepared.
The state government is advising anyone over 70 to continue to stay at home when they can but if they insist on visiting someone, they should ensure those they are visiting are well.
Two other key areas of focus in terms of restrictions
Ms Berejiklian said she also expected an uptick in retail activity throughout May, while a back-to-school plan will commence on May 11.
The premier said more and more retail shops should open within the coming weeks, as they’re entitled to do so, just a day after stressing essential shopping was determined by residents themselves, and not the state government.
The announcement came as NSW confirmed a further five cases on Tuesday, taking its accumulative total up to 3009.
A seventh person at the Newmarch House aged care facility in Sydney's west has also died after contracting coronavirus, taking the NSW death toll to 37.
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