Just days after a key industry summit focusing on how to revitalise the Sydney CBD in response to the impacts of COVID-19, the NSW State government has moved earlier than expected to ditch most pandemic restrictions including density limits and QR codes.
Originally scheduled for implementation on February 28, the new measures coming into effect on February 18 will see density requirements dropped in pubs and restaurants, dancing and singing can return and most QR code requirements will be dropped.
One of the most significant changes is the working from home order being returned to employers’ discretion.
This will potentially result in thousands of workers returning to the CBD and a huge boost for long-suffering hospitality businesses and the hotel sector with an anticipated uptick in corporate travel bookings.
From February 25, mask rules will be mandated only on public transport, planes and indoors at airports, hospitals, aged care, and corrections facilities.
The 20,000-person limit on music festivals has also been dropped, but people attending indoor music festivals with more than 1000 people will need to prove double-vaccination.
Announcing the news, Premier Dominic Perrottet said the decision to lift the restrictions reflected the efforts and enormous sacrifices people have made across NSW.
Mike Parker-Brown is a UK-trained and qualified journalist and an award-winning travel communicator with more than 30 years experience.
Since 2002, Mike has worked as a freelance writer and PR consultant providing his services to major organisations in Australia and internationally in the tourism, aviation, hospitality, recruitment and export marketing sectors.
