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The NSW Government has today advised that its COVID-19 restrictions for gyms and religious gatherings will be eased from this Friday (23rd October).

Under the eased restrictions gyms across the state will only be required to have a COVID-19 safety Marshal in attendance f there are more than 20 people in the gym at one time while religious gatherings and places of worship (excluding weddings and funerals) can have up to 300 people attending.

The easing still requires facilities to have COVIDSafe plans must be in place while people attending gyms are reminded to follow the COVID-19 recommendations to help stop the spread of the virus. These measure include: visiting facilities during quieter periods; practicing good hygiene before, during and after working out; maintaining physical distance at all times; and wiping down equipment with disinfectant after each use.

Announcing the changes, NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet stated “our aim is to provide as many opportunities as we can for organisations and the community to carry on with their work and lives as much as possible.”

Earlier this month, Fitness Australia calling for the removal of what it called “unnecessary” COVID Marshal restrictions applying to fitness facilities in NSW, claiming “hundreds of metro and regional businesses (will) go broke due to the increased costs and financial pressures associated with employing marshals during all operating hours”.

Fitness Australia Chief Executive, Barrie Elvish said the impact of requiring COVID Marshals during all operational hours was particularly hard on gyms and facilities that operated 24/7 as well as community members who relied on 24-hour access to a safe and secure exercise environment.

However, the NSW Government’s changes do not provide clarity on requirements if more than 20 people attend an unstaffed 24/7 gym at a particular time.

Without a COVID Marshall facilities will have to rely on their access control technology to monitor numbers.

Tasmanian Government to ease border restrictions
The Tasmanian Government has announced that based on current Public Health advice as of next Monday (26th October) it will ease border restrictions for people travelling from Queensland, the ACT, South Australia, Western Australia and the Northern Territory.

Border restrictions will also remain in place for people travelling from NSW and Victoria until further notice, with an update to be provided for people travelling from NSW prior to 26th October.

A registration system will be in place for people entering the State from identified low-risk jurisdictions (currently Queensland, the ACT, South Australia, Western Australia and the Northern Territory) from next Monday. 

People travelling from these jurisdictions will be required to register their travel via the Tas E-Travel online system a maximum of three days prior to arrival. Quarantine requirements will not be in place for people travelling from these jurisdictions provided they have not spent time in an Affected Region or Premises in the 14 days before arriving in Tasmania. 

Image courtesy of Fitness First Australia.

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