Canberra COVID lockdown roadmap provides path for interstate travel from late October

The NSW government has enforced stay-at-home orders for Canberrans who travel to regional areas and has not said if they would be lifted when the capital hit its 80 per cent vaccination milestone.

Restrictions on interstate travel will remain in place until October 29, unless NSW agrees to grant vaccinated Canberrans the same freedoms as residents across the border.

The NSW roadmap will permit vaccinated people living in Queanbeyan - and all other ACT border towns - to travel through regional NSW once the state reaches a 70 per cent double-dose target. NSW residents will also be permitted to visit pubs, restaurants and hairdressers in Queanbeyan once they reach the milestone.

Based on data from the seven-day average, NSW was expected to do so before October 11, meaning stay-at-home orders would be lifted right across NSW unless there were COVID outbreaks.

From that date, gyms and indoor recreation facilities will be permitted to open under the "one person per four square metres rule" right across NSW.

All NSW pubs, restaurants and cafes will also be allowed to open under the "one person per four square metres" rule indoors, and "one person per two square metres" for outdoors.

Queanbeyan residents - along with the rest of the state - will flash their Services NSW smartphone app to prove their vaccination status.

Across the border in Canberra, residents will still be in lockdown for another four days until October 15.

During that period, ACT residents will still be prevented from travelling to Queanbeyan unless for essential purposes.

A spokesperson for NSW Police said officers would continue to enforce the public health order by conducting roadside checks and mobile road operations and compliance checks at venues.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian revealed the next stage of the states path out of lockdown on Monday, which would happen when the state reached 80 per cent double vaccination rate two weeks later.

At 80 per cent, vaccinated residents will be allowed unrestricted travel between regional NSW and Greater Sydney.

The ACT government announced its easing of restrictions, the first of which will come into effect from Friday, following emergency cabinet meetings over the weekend.

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From 12:01am, two people will be able to visit another household at any one time. The limit for recreation and other activities outside of the home will be doubled from two hours to four hours.

All non-essential retail will be able to operate both click and collect and click and deliver services. Outdoor boot camps, personal training and coaching can recommence with no more than two people excluding staff and ACT nature parks and national parks will reopen.

ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr said the requirements for interstate and overseas travel would be considered as the territory moves through the phases of roadmap revealed this week.

"It is important to note that the ability to travel interstate or overseas will be entirely subject to the border decisions of other state and territory governments," Mr Barr said.

He said interstate travel would be determined by Commonwealth border restrictions.

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