Greater Sydney is expected to be freed from some tough stay at home orders after NSW Crisis Cabinet agreed to a roadmap last night.
The restrictions could begin to ease from October 14 and are likely to include the reopening of gyms, hairdressers, restaurants, cafes and pubs at reduced capacities in Sydney.
Some regional parts of NSW are expected to have their lockdowns lifted within the coming days.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian is due to outline the plan today.
But Sydney publican and former federal MP Craig Laundy says the hospitality industry faces major ‘unknowns’ under the NSW Government’s reopening plan.
Mr Laundy told Today that the industry would be initially working under the vaccine passport system but there were still major details to work through.
“If we do have a case, given there won’t be another shutdown what does it mean?” he said.
“Do we close and clean and reopen? Is that potentially where these rapid antigen tests could be applied to the staff that were on when the case was recorded?”
“Because I can’t afford to have my staff going into lockdown for two weeks, if they are a close contact.”
Mr Laundy also said many hospitality workers were younger people and among the last to be vaccinated, adding extra concerns.
“As a result, we are scrambling already to get the right levels of staff to open.
“If we then have a case walk through any of our pubs and the staff have to lockdown for two weeks we effectively would have to close again. These are the things that we’re in active discussion.”
Those who have had both shots of the vaccine could also be allowed to travel into regional NSW but when vaccination rates reach 80 per cent.
That is forecast to happen by the end of October or the start of November and a travel permit will be available on Service NSW, giving Sydneysiders the freedoms to visit regional parts of the state.
