NSW Premier Gladys Berjeklian announced the good news of further easing of COVID restrictions as NSW residents prepare for family get together for Christmas. 

Ms Berejiklian said the easing household restrictions from December 1, which presently allow only 20 people in a home, were good news ahead of Christmas.

"If you are hosting an event at your home, you can have up to 50 people, so long as you utilise an outdoor space," Ms Berejiklian said.

"If you do not have an outdoor space, we do not recommend any more than 30 people inside the home."

In response to the question of whether people in apartments without outdoor areas would be prevented from hosting 50 people, the Premier said it should be "common sense".

"We are saying that if you don't have access to an outdoor area, if you live in a unit or a house which doesn't have access to an outdoor area, you shouldn't have more than 30 people in there. We are appealing to people's common sense," she said.

"We do appreciate this has a risk and we appreciate also that at social events and private homes social distancing is difficult to maintain, but we ask everybody to be very COVID safe, especially if you have vulnerable people as part of your family or social gathering."

Ms Berejiklian said larger venues would be allowed one patron per two square metres "in the very, very near future".

The public health order for people to work from home where "reasonably practical" will be removed on December 14.

"We do want to see more people going back to work but we don't want to make it compulsory," Ms Berejiklian said.

With regard to wearing of masks, Health Minister Brad Hazzard said an increasing load on trains, buses, trams and ferries meant wearing masks is important and recommended.

He siad "My big concern is people not wearing masks in public transport. As Health Minister, I definitely do not want to be going down the path of imposing fines and making it compulsory, but it really is crucial."

 

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