After more than 100 days of COVID-19 lockdown, Sydney reopens for the fully vaccinated
CANBERRA, Australia — Sydney hairdressers, gyms, cafes and bars reopened Monday — to fully inoculated customers only — for the first time in more than 100 days after Australia’s largest city achieved a COVID-19 vaccination benchmark.
Sydney officials had planned to reopen on the first Monday after 70% of residents age 16 and up in New South Wales state were fully vaccinated.
By Monday, 73.5% of the target population was fully vaccinated, and more than 90% had received at least one dose.
Some businesses opened at midnight because of demand from people impatient to enjoy their freedom.
More pandemic restrictions will be removed at the 80% benchmark, and New South Wales residents will be free to travel overseas for the first time since March last year.
New South Wales reported 496 new coronavirus infections in the latest 24-hour period and eight COVID-19 deaths. The infection rate is expected rise as Sydneysiders return to work and become more mobile.
Australia will not welcome international arrivals until next year, with skilled migrants and students given priority over tourists.
New South Wales Premier Dominic Perrottet said the infection rate and numbers of COVID-19 patients being admitted to hospitals were lower than modeling had predicted.
“So that’s positive and gives hope and confidence [that], as we open up in a measured way, we’re in a very good position to keep people safe,” Perrottet said.
“There’s still restrictions in place. It’s not a free-for-all. It is opening up in a measured way, and if everyone can look after each other and respect each other, we can get people back into work, we can get businesses open, while at the same time keeping people safe,” he added.
While Sydney infections have been trending down in recent weeks, they have yet to peak in Melbourne, Australia’s second-most populous city.
More than 250 people have been arrested while protesting coronavirus lockdowns in the country and many faced fines for defying health orders.
Victoria state, which includes Melbourne, reported 1,612 new infections Monday and eight deaths.
Sydney’s lockdown began June 26 and the outbreak of the Delta variant spread from Sydney to Melbourne, which has been locked down since Aug. 5, and the national capital, Canberra, which has been locked down since Aug. 12 after a single COVID-19 case was detected.
Most of the rest of Australia is largely free of COVID-19, although authorities warn that the Delta variant cannot be entirely kept out of any state or territory.
The Australian Capital Territory, which includes Canberra and two villages, and New South Wales are the only parts of the country to achieve the 70% vaccination benchmark. Canberra will reduce pandemic restrictions Friday. More than 95% of its target population has had at least one dose, with 72.8% fully vaccinated.
Victoria remains a week or two behind. In Victoria, the figures are 85.5% and 58.6%, respectively.
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