coronavirus,
With just one more sleep to Christmas Day, coronavirus restrictions have cast doubt over plans for many families. Quarantine requirements for people entering the ACT from greater Sydney, the Central Coast, Blue Mountains and Wollongong will remain in place for Christmas and possibly into the new year. Here are the answers to your questions about coronavirus restrictions. Weston Creek Walk-in Centre: Open 7.30am to 10pm daily, including public holidays. EPIC drive-through clinic: Open 9.30am to 5pm daily, including public holidays. Garran testing clinic: Closed on Christms Day, open every other day 9.30am to 5pm. Winnunga Nimmityjah Respiratory Clinic: Closed Christmas Day, December 28 and New Year’s Day. Open 9am to 1pm December 29-31. Normal operating hours from January 4. West Belconnen testing clinic: Closed Christmas Day until January 4. Kambah drive-though clinic: Closed Christmas Day until January 4. Unfortunately, ACT Health say you should cancel, or rearrange your plans. A spokesman said Canberrans should avoid contact with people who have been in COVID-19 hotspots in the past 14 days, which means that trip to the coast may need to be changed. If you do go on the trip, there is no legal requirement to quarantine upon return, unless you travel to the hotspot areas. But you should monitor for the mildest symptoms and get tested if any appear. “We also encourage people to reconsider any travel into NSW. If people choose to travel to NSW they should think about what their plans are if health directions and quarantine requirements change,” the spokesman said. Yes. Victoria has classified greater Sydney, the Central Coast, Nepean Blue Mountains and Wollongong as ‘red zones’, you will not be eligible for a permit if you have “resided in, visited, been in, or travelled through” those areas in the past 14 days. You would be able to enter Victoria after that 14 days but must apply for a permit. If you were staying in an area covered by any of the 35 local government areas in this list, including the Blue Mountains LGA, you are legally required to quarantine for two-weeks when you enter the ACT. Government advice around aged care homes remains the same. Visitors to facilties are still restricted to two people per resident at a time. You can visit you friend or family in facilties and are not limited in how long you can spend there, as this comes under providing care and support – one of several allowances for visitors to a centre. You must not visit an aged care facility, or other high-risk zones including hospitals, if you have been in a COVID-19 hotspot in the past 14 days. If you have been in a hotspot you are required to be in quarantine anyway. You will also not be allowed to enter if your temperature is higher than 37.5, which will be tested on entry, or have any COVID-19 symptoms. All visitors to aged care homes must also have had a 2020 flu vaccination. Anyone entering the ACT from these 35 local government areas since December 21, which include greater Sydney, the Central Coast, Blue Mountains and Wollongong must self-quarantine at home for 14-days regardless of a negative COVID-19 test. If you have been in Sydney’s northern beaches LGA since December 11 you must also quarantine regardless of a negative test. Yes. If you are travelling through Canberra without stopping you do not need to declare or quarantine, but you must not leave the car and cannot go through a drive-through restaurant.
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With just one more sleep to Christmas Day, coronavirus restrictions have cast doubt over plans for many families.
Quarantine requirements for people entering the ACT from greater Sydney, the Central Coast, Blue Mountains and Wollongong will remain in place for Christmas and possibly into the new year.
Here are the answers to your questions about coronavirus restrictions.
Where can I get tested for COVID-19 over the Christmas period?
Weston Creek Walk-in Centre: Open 7.30am to 10pm daily, including public holidays.
EPIC drive-through clinic: Open 9.30am to 5pm daily, including public holidays.
Garran testing clinic: Closed on Christms Day, open every other day 9.30am to 5pm.
Winnunga Nimmityjah Respiratory Clinic: Closed Christmas Day, December 28 and New Year’s Day. Open 9am to 1pm December 29-31. Normal operating hours from January 4.
West Belconnen testing clinic: Closed Christmas Day until January 4.
Kambah drive-though clinic: Closed Christmas Day until January 4.
I’m holidaying in a COVID-free zone with people from a hotspot. What should I do?
Unfortunately, ACT Health say you should cancel, or rearrange your plans.
A spokesman said Canberrans should avoid contact with people who have been in COVID-19 hotspots in the past 14 days, which means that trip to the coast may need to be changed.
If you do go on the trip, there is no legal requirement to quarantine upon return, unless you travel to the hotspot areas.
But you should monitor for the mildest symptoms and get tested if any appear.
“We also encourage people to reconsider any travel into NSW. If people choose to travel to NSW they should think about what their plans are if health directions and quarantine requirements change,” the spokesman said.
I want to travel to Victoria more than two weeks since I was in a hotspot, can I go?
Yes. Victoria has classified greater Sydney, the Central Coast, Nepean Blue Mountains and Wollongong as ‘red zones’, you will not be eligible for a permit if you have “resided in, visited, been in, or travelled through” those areas in the past 14 days.
You would be able to enter Victoria after that 14 days but must apply for a permit.
I was in a remote part of the Blue Mountains, do I have to quarantine when I return to the ACT?
If you were staying in an area covered by any of the 35 local government areas in this list, including the Blue Mountains LGA, you are legally required to quarantine for two-weeks when you enter the ACT.
What does the latest COVID-19 outbreak mean for aged care facilities in the ACT?
Visitors to facilties are still restricted to two people per resident at a time.
You can visit you friend or family in facilties and are not limited in how long you can spend there, as this comes under providing care and support – one of several allowances for visitors to a centre.
You must not visit an aged care facility, or other high-risk zones including hospitals, if you have been in a COVID-19 hotspot in the past 14 days.
If you have been in a hotspot you are required to be in quarantine anyway.
You will also not be allowed to enter if your temperature is higher than 37.5, which will be tested on entry, or have any COVID-19 symptoms.
All visitors to aged care homes must also have had a 2020 flu vaccination.
Who exactly needs to quarantine?
Anyone entering the ACT from these 35 local government areas since December 21, which include greater Sydney, the Central Coast, Blue Mountains and Wollongong must self-quarantine at home for 14-days regardless of a negative COVID-19 test.
If you have been in Sydney’s northern beaches LGA since December 11 you must also quarantine regardless of a negative test.
Can I transit through the ACT from a hotspot?
Yes. If you are travelling through Canberra without stopping you do not need to declare or quarantine, but you must not leave the car and cannot go through a drive-through restaurant.