Gatherings

• You can have up to 5 visitors at your home
• Children 12 and under are not included in the 5 guest limit
• All adult visitors must be fully vaccinated
• Up to 20 people can gather outdoors – but not in a backyard

• Aged care and hospital visits will be capped at 2 fully vaccinated visitors

• Domestic travel – including going to regional NSW – will be allowed
• So that means the 5 kilometre rule and ‘staying within your own LGA’ is gone
• Caravan parks and camping grounds can open
• Carpooling will be allowed

Masks

• Masks will no longer have to be worn outdoors
• Masks will stay mandatory for all indoor public venues
• This includes in shops and supermarkets, public transport and on planes and at airports
• For workers – masks will remain mandatory for front of house hospitality and anyone else face to face with the public indoors
• Hospitality staff will have to wear a mask when outdoors too
• Children under 12 won’t need to wear a mask indoors

Religious gatherings

• Churches and places of worship can open
• They are subject to the 1 person per 4 square metre rule
• No singing will be allowed.
• Choirs aren’t returning yet, as far as we can see

Hairdressers and salons

• Hairdressers and nail salons can open under the 1 person per 4 square metre rule
• Hairdressers and salons can only have 5 clients inside their business at one time

Gyms and indoor recreations

• Gyms and indoor recreation facilities can open under the 1 person per 4 square metre rule
• They can offer classes for up to 20 people
• Sporting facilities like swimming pools can also reopen

Retail

• Retail stores can reopen under the 1 person per 4 square metre rule
• Unvaccinated people can only access critical retail – like supermarkets, pharmacies, petrol stations, banks and takeaway food
• Basically, whatever is open now will still be open to the unvaccinated after ‘freedom day’

Hospitality

• Hospitality venues including pubs can reopen – as long as they stick to the 1 person per 4 square metre rule inside
• Outside it’s the 1 person per 2 square metre rule
• Standing while drinking is allowed

Outdoor events

• Major recreational outdoor facilities like stadiums, racecourses, theme parks and zoos can reopen under the 1 person per 4 square metre rule
• These facilities are capped at 5,000 people
• Up to 500 can attend ticketed and seated outdoor events

Indoor events

• Indoor entertainment and information facilities like cinemas, theatres, music halls, museums and galleries can reopen under the 1 person per 4 square metre rule – or at 75% of their fixed seated capacity

Children

• Unvaccinated people under 16 can access all outdoor areas – but can only visit indoor venues with members of their household.

Weddings and funerals

• Up to 50 guests can attend a wedding or a funeral
• Dancing is allowed at weddings
• Eating and drinking at weddings or funerals is only allowed while sitting down

Work

• Bosses must allow employees to work from home – if they can do so
• Guidelines will be revised regarding close and casual contacts isolating when they are fully vaccinated.

HSC

• It’s believed that all written HSC exams will go ahead – and results will be released just before Australia Day 2022
• The new HSC timetable will be released today
• It’s believed they will start with English on November 9 and finish with food technology on December 3

Schools and tutoring

• Schools will start to reopen in six weeks on October 25.
• There will be a big investment in school tutoring services
• This is to help students whose education has been disrupted by lockdowns