The government said it was encouraging people “not to mingle” while out at hospitality venues,and to abstain from singing and dancing. “We just ask everybody use personal responsibilities,please be cautious as we move through this phase,” Mr Perrottet said.
NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard said these were “sensible,modest changes”.
“But I know they do indicate to the community that everybody needs to be on this journey with us. And we need to be careful,” he said.
“Anything you can do over the next few days,if you’re having people around to your house,try and do it out on the balcony or backyard,or if you can’t do that,open all the windows. What we do know is Omicron is not terribly successful when it’s out in the fresh air. It tends to get us when we’re inside in closed environments.”
About 80 per cent of new cases are estimated to be the Omicron variant.
When should I get tested for COVID-19?
The high number of COVID exposures as well as interstate testing requirements have led to long queues and delays in returning results this week,as about 150,000 people turn up for PCR tests each day.
To avoid further strain on the system,the government is asking people to monitor for COVID-19 symptoms and only get tested if you feel unwell.
Mr Perrottet said that includes people who have received a notification through the Service NSW app saying they might have been exposed. “If you have been into a setting and have checked in,and you receive a notification from Service New South Wales,the number one position is you monitor for symptoms,” he said.
“If you do not feel unwell you don’t need to be tested. At the moment what we’re seeing is that many people across the state who are asymptomatic and do not feel unwell are lining up for a PCR test.
“This is putting enormous pressure on the system and I thank everybody for their patience as we go through this period of time. But we need to make sure those people who need to get tested,get tested in a timely way. And importantly that we get the results back to people as quickly as possible.”
Mr Hazzard said that “testing is a bit of an issue for us”.
“I would ask everybody to listen very carefully to the message that if you don’t need to go,if you haven’t got symptoms or haven’t received a message telling you that you must have a PCR test,you probably you don’t need to have a PCR test,” he said.
“And certainly,if you’re going visiting over the next few days,please don’t go out and just get a PCR test for the sake of it.”
People who are concerned about visiting vulnerable loved ones should try and take a rapid antigen test instead. The government said it would also procure free rapid antigen tests for people across the state.
What about booster shots?
NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant urged people to register for their booster shot to further protect themselves against the new outbreak.
“The good news is that booster doses will increase your protection. And probably will have an impact on transmission,” she said.
Mr Hazzard asked people to go to the NSW Health website and book in as soon as they were eligible.
“We do know that particularly for older people,and those who had AstraZeneca,whilst it was fabulous for the time,it does have its challenges now and its waning effect on immunity,so we need to get a booster,” he said.