NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro has confirmed that from now on during the COVID-19 crisis, the Central Coast will be treated as regional NSW, not as a part of Greater Sydney.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mr Barilaro made the statement at the end of the daily COVID update<\/a> from the NSW Government, also confirming that Sydney workers will now need a permit to enter the Central Coast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAll workers leaving Greater Sydney will now need a permit, and further to that, they will need to be Covid tested for the previous seven days before they actually go to regional and rural New South Wales,\u201d Mr Barilaro said,<\/p> \u201cTo make it easy, we\u2019re redefining Greater Sydney and excluding Shellharbour and the Central Coast. So from here onwards, the Central Coast and Shellharbour will be treated as regional.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p> \u201cIf you\u2019re travelling from Sydney to the Central Coast or to Shellharbour, you will need, of course, a permit and that is at the key of making sure that we simplify it, make it easier for governments and making sure that for police surveillance and the ability for police to act on it,\u201d the Deputy Premier said.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n The latest statement from Mr Barilaro comes as one new case of COVID-19 has been confirmed for the Central Coast out the state\u2019s 681 new local cases reported today (August 19).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Five new cases have been reported for the Hunter New England LHD.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Of these locally acquired cases, 170 are linked to a known case or cluster \u2013 149 are household contacts and 21 are close contacts \u2013 and the source of infection for 511 cases is under investigation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One hundred and thirty-five cases were in isolation throughout their infectious period and 28 were in isolation for part of their infectious period. Fifty-nine cases were infectious in the community, and the isolation status of 459 cases remains under investigation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The NSW Government has confirmed that due to ongoing concerns about community transmission, stay-at-home orders in place for regional NSW will be extended until at least 12.01am on 28 August, in line with existing orders for the Greater Sydney area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n NSW Health’s ongoing sewage surveillance program has also detected fragments of the virus that causes COVID-19 at the Bateau Bay sewage treatment plant in recent days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Bateau Bay sewage treatment plant serves around 39,000 people and this detection is of particular concern and everyone in these areas is urged to monitor for the onset of symptoms, and if they appear, to immediately be tested and isolate until a negative result is received.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is a developing story. More to come.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Listen via the Star 104.5 Player, download it now via the <\/em>App Store<\/em><\/a> or <\/em>Google Play<\/em><\/a> and take Star 104.5 wherever you go.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n WATCH: Wake up with a laugh and join <\/em><\/strong>Rabbit & Sarah for Breakfast<\/em><\/strong><\/a>, weekdays, 6am-9am.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n