“Please do this responsibly”: Restrictions to be eased in NSW from tomorrow

Several COVID-19 restrictions in NSW will be eased from tomorrow and Premier Gladys Berejiklian has pleaded with the state to adjust to the changes responsibly.

Premier Berejiklian highlighted three major changes in May being schools returning in a considerable way, being able to visit others in their households and a number of retail outlets previously closed choosing to reopen or commencing reopening.

“We know today is the last day of the restrictions that we had in place for the month of April and tomorrow there are a slight easing of some of the restrictions,” Premier Berejiklian said.

“Please do this responsibly. We appreciate that for mental health and to reduce isolation people are now allowed to go and visit others in their home, two adults at a time, but please make sure you do this responsibly.

“We don’t want to see a huge spike in cases which makes the situation unmanageable and then for us to revert back to what April looked like.

“We want NSW to keep moving forward.”

“I have confidence, if we all stick together and make these changes in May there will be other opportunities for us, in the near future, to have greater freedoms and greater opportunities to get back to some of the things we were used to doing before the restrictions came into place,” she added.

Speaking at a press conference alongside the Premier this morning was NSW chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant who announced that as at 8pm on Wednesday, April 29, an additional two cases of COVID-19 had been diagnosed since 8pm on Tuesday, April 28, bringing the state’s total to 3,016.

During that time, 7387 people were tested, compared to 5414 in the 24 hours before.

Of the 3016 confirmed cases, 2284 have been reported to have been recovered from COVID-19.

There are currently 117 COVID-19 cases being treated by NSW Health including 15 people being treated in intensive care units, with 13 of those requiring ventilators.

See this morning’s full press conference below.