Coronavirus: Sydney celebrates ‘freedom day’ after more than 100 days of lockdown

The 5 million residents of Australia’s biggest city had endured severe restrictions from mid-June following an outbreak of the Delta variant

Elsewhere, Singapore is keen to open travel lanes with Australia, Japan and others, while New Zealand has made vaccinations mandatory for health workers

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People enjoy drinks at a pub in Sydney. Photo: AFP

Published: 10:00am, 11 Oct 2021Updated: 10:42pm, 11 Oct 2021

Australia’s largest city of Sydney on Monday ended an almost four-month coronavirus lockdown, easing restrictions after hitting a targeted 70 per cent of the eligible population being fully vaccinated.

The state of New South Wales (NSW), of which Sydney is the capital, has relaxed a number of restrictions for only the fully vaccinated, including allowing visits to other households and access to restaurants, retail stores, cinemas and gyms that open with strict density caps in place.

“I say to everyone today: New South Wales, you have earned it,” NSW State Premier Dominic Perrottet said at a press conference.

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet speaks to the media at Watson’s Pub in Sydney. Photo: DPA

Under the relaxed restrictions, fully inoculated people can gather in groups of 10 in homes or 30 outdoors, while groups of 100 can attend weddings and funerals. Those in the Greater Sydney area will also be able to travel beyond their local council boundary or 5km from their homes for the first time since August.

More curbs will be relaxed around late October, once the state reaches 80 per cent of the population aged 16 and over being fully vaccinated. However, the unvaccinated will have to wait until December 1 to enjoy any of the new freedoms.

The move makes New South Wales the first Australian state to exit lockdown without eliminating community transmission of the virus, after an outbreak of the Delta variant in June dashed hopes of continuing the successful elimination strategy Australia has pursued for most of the pandemic.

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Coronavirus: Sydney celebrates ‘freedom day’ after more than 100 days of lockdown

The 5 million residents of Australia’s biggest city had endured severe restrictions from mid-June following an outbreak of the Delta variant Elsewhere, Singapore is keen to open travel lanes with Australia, Japan and others, while New Zealand has made vaccinations mandatory for health workers

The 5 million residents of Australia’s biggest city had endured severe restrictions from mid-June following an outbreak of the Delta variant

Elsewhere, Singapore is keen to open travel lanes with Australia, Japan and others, while New Zealand has made vaccinations mandatory for health workers