At today's media briefing, December 25, NSW Premier Gladys Berjeklian has reiterated the restrictions that NSW residents need to observe during gatherings for Christmas.   Due to the cluster of positive cases at the northern beaches area, gatherings are limited to ten people and children under 12 years.  This restriction which had been put in place since 24th December will be effective to the midnight of 27th December.

The Premier also expressed her gratitude to the positive response to her call for people to undergo COVID 19 testing.  There has been near 70,000 tests undertaken since the breakout of the cluster cases in the northern beaches area.

The total number of cases related to the northern beaches area has reached 108 cases.  Because of this, the Premier expressed concern about the popular sales that people flock to on Boxing Day.



She said:  “We know that tomorrow traditionally is a day for Boxing Day sales [but] we please want to discourage people – we know this is not the easiest message to give to those retailers – but we want to discourage people going to the CBD tomorrow.

“I can’t stress enough our urging for people to reduce their mobility, not to undertake activity unless they absolutely have to, and please avoid the CBD,” the Liberal leader said.

“We’d prefer people do not go to the CBD tomorrow because then you have people from all over Sydney come into one location and it only takes one or two cases for it then to spread everywhere else.”

This request by the Premier was met with great disappointment by the Retailers Association. Paul Zahra, the chief executive of the Australian Retailers Association  said that the Premier's directive will impact on the biggest day on the retail calendar especially as retailers have worked so hard to ensure their businesses are Covid-safe.

On the other hand, the Prime Minister Scott Morrison's Christmas message was positive. 

He said: 
"Our blessings outweigh our struggles."

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