The Dubbo local government area has entered a seven day lockdown until August 19, with two confirmed COVID-19 cases and fears that more have been in the community since August 1.
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Stay-at-home orders mean you can only leave home for essential reasons, including:
- Essential work
- Education
- Essential shopping
- Health care / emergency medical reasons.
- To care for a vulnerable person
- Exercise - within groups of two (excluding household members)
A full list of restrictions and allowances is on the NSW government website - www.health.gov.au/covid19
The ages of the confirmed cases have not been released, and while one of them had received their first Pfizer dose, it's understood the second person was not vaccinated. The second person is a household contact.
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Eight other close contacts have already been identified and have been in isolation. The confirmed case was a "member of the school community at Dubbo West Public School", according to the Department of Education, which shut down the school yesterday and asked all staff and students to self-isolate "until further notice".
The confirmed case also had links to Macquarie Anglican Grammar School, which was also closed on Wednesday. From today, childcare services will remain open, but schools across the region will resume learning from home.
Five venues of concern have been identified:
- Don Crosby Veterinary Surgery, 327 Darling St Dubbo. August 7, 8:57am - 9:45am
- The Harvest Cafe, 64 Palmer St Dubbo. August 7, 9:52am - 10:10am
- Ashcrofts IGA, 95 Tamworth St Dubbo. August 8, 12:35pm - 12:52pm
- Tim Koertz Pharmacy, 98 Tamworth St Dubbo. August 9, 1pm - 1:15pm
- COVID Safe clinic Manera Plaza, 77 Myall St Dubbo. August 10 7:45am - 8:32am.
Community leaders presented a united front when addressing media on Wednesday, with Member for Dubbo Dugald Saunders, Dubbo mayor Stephen Lawrence, NSW Police Superintendent Danny Sullivan APM and Western NSW Local Health District chief executive Scott McLachlan.
Fragments of the virus detected in sewage samples from August 3, is not related to the current identified cases.
"We've got two current cases unlikely to be linked to the initial sewage detection, so it is extremely important that anyone even with the mildest of symptoms or any concern about where you've been or who you may have come into contact with, gets tested," Mr Saunders said.
The order will be backdated to August 1, meaning anyone who was in the Dubbo region at that time should also abide by the stay-at-home orders.
The line-up of cars at the testing clinic at Dubbo Showground was unprecedented, while the line-up at the Myall Street walk-in clinic went around the block. Both clinics are open from 8am, seven days a week and no appointment is required.
"People in the Dubbo local government - that's Dubbo, Wellington, Stuart Town, Mumbil and the broader LGA region must stay at home unless they have a reasonable excuse to leave home," Mr McLachlan said.
"This also means that people shouldn't have visitors to their homes. I know this is tough, but this is the time to limit all movement between households. We know from Sydney and in other parts of the state and in Australia the transmission between households and within households is among the highest risk for us in Dubbo and the whole of this region."
Superintendent Danny Sullivan said to expect increased police presence throughout Dubbo and in shopping centres, and urged people to shop sensibly.
"Let me be clear - our shops are open, there's no need to panic buy, but police will be there in and around our shopping precincts to ensure safety and security."
Cr Lawrence said the two people infected with the virus were "crook" and asked for compassion.
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