Woolworths and Coles added to list of 450 Covid exposure sites
A Coles and a Woolworths store were identified as venues of concerns late on Sunday as NSW contact tracers' tireless efforts to contain the spread of the highly-infectious Delta Covid-19 variant in Sydney continue.
The Coles store at Maroubra's Pacific Square shopping centre, which has been on health authorities' radar for several days now, was named a venue of concern overnight.
Anyone who visited the store between 7.10am to 8.20am last Monday (June 28), and 11pm and 11.45pm last Tuesday, must get tested immediately and isolate for 14 days regardless of their test result.
The nearby Woolworths in Hillsdale's Southport Shopping Centre is also of concern to NSW Health with two lengthy exposure times listed.
Anyone who visited on Wednesday between 9.30am and 6.30pm, and Thursday between 9am and 6pm must get tested immediately and isolate for 14 days regardless of their test result.
Eight close contact transport routes were also identified in the city's inner-west.
Half a dozen casual contact exposure sites were added last night and include Coles in Rosebay and Dan Murphy's in Gladesville.
There are now more than 450 exposure locations and transport routes listed on the NSW Health website.
Promisingly only three of Sunday's 16 local Covid-19 cases have spent time in the community, a significant decrease from previous days.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian has identified that figure as one that must continue to stay low to give health authorities confidence restrictions can ease. Whether the current lockdown will end on time on July 9 is still up in the air.
Young adults urged not to flout restrictions
Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant said exposure sites had now shifted towards retail stores due to the lockdown with residents urged to assess whether their shopping trips are essential.
On Sunday she delivered a warning to young people who are desperate to socialise with friends, calling for them to avoid indoor meet-ups.
"We know that this is a trying time for young adults who want to socialise with others. Please, continue to get tested," she said.
She reminded residents, particularly young adults, that if identified as a positive case they must provide an honest recount of their movements.
"Be assured that any information that is given to public health will not be shared. It is important that when people are speaking to contact tracers, that they feel reassured about the fact that we will hold information in a confidential way.
"The consequences of not letting us know about a lapse are incredible at this sort of critical phase in our response. And so, please, we know everyone makes mistakes."
There have now been 277 local Covid-19 cases reported since June 16.
All eyes on aged care facility as unvaccinated staff revealed
NSW authorities are waiting to learn if other residents of a Sydney nursing home have caught the coronavirus as families fume at the low level of vaccination among staff.
There is concern for residents of the SummitCare home at Baulkham Hills, even though 96 per cent of its highly vulnerable residents are fully vaccinated.
Three have already been infected after Covid-19 was brought into the home by staff: a man in his 90s, a man in his 80s and a woman in her 80s.
On Monday morning it was confirmed a further two had tested positive.
All have had two doses of the vaccine and are said to be in good spirits, with no symptoms.
But SummitCare's chief operating officer Michelle Sloane admitted only a third of the facility's workforce have had a shot.
The daughter of one infected resident is furious about how few staff have been vaccinated.
"We assumed they were. I think it's a disgrace," Kathie Melocco told the ABC.
"If I had known, that would've meant I would've made other decisions around my parents. I'm just so angry."
Two of the nursing home's workers tested positive for Covid-19 during the week. One of them was not vaccinated and SummitCare was unclear about the vaccination status of the other.
At least 140 of the home's 200 staff members are now in 14 days of self-isolation as NSW starts to see an overall downward trend in new cases.
With AAP
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