COFFS Coast residents are enjoying a loosening of COVID-19 restrictions following the region’s long awaited release from stay-at-home lockdown orders over the weekend.

Locals are once again indulging in a meal at a restaurant, enjoying an alcoholic beverage at the pub, and undertaking a bout of shopping, with shopping queues at Coffs Harbour shopping centres over the weekend resembling frantic pre-Christmas shopping periods, with checkout waiting lines spanning through the stores.

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Under the loosening of COVID-19 restrictions local residents are now able to:
Gatherings in the home and public spaces:

· Up to five visitors will be allowed in a home (not including children 12 and under).

· Up to 20 people can gather in outdoor settings.

Venues including hospitality, retail stores and gyms:

· Hospitality venues can reopen subject to one person per 4sqm inside and one person per 2sqm outside, with standing while drinking permitted outside.

· Retail stores can reopen under the one person per 4sqm rule.

· Personal services such as hairdressers and nail salons can open with one person per 4sqm, capped at five clients per premises.

· Gyms and indoor recreation facilities can open under the one person per 4sqm rule and can offer classes for up to 20 people.

· Sporting facilities including swimming pools can reopen.

Schools:

· Schools will reopen with Level 3 COVIDSafe measures in place.

Stadiums, theatres and major outdoor recreation facilities:

· Major recreation outdoor facilities including stadiums, racecourses, theme parks and zoos can reopen with one person per 4sqm, capped at 5,000 people.

· Up to 500 people can attend ticketed and seated outdoor events.

· Indoor entertainment and information facilities including cinemas, theatres, music halls, museums and galleries can reopen with one person per 4sqm or 75 per cent fixed seated capacity.

Weddings, funerals and places of worship:

· Up to 50 guests can attend weddings, with dancing permitted and eating and drinking only while seated.

· Up to 50 guests can attend funerals, with eating and drinking while seated.

· Churches and places of worship to open subject to one person per 4sqm rule, with no singing.

Travel:

· Caravan parks and camping grounds can open.

· Carpooling will be permitted.

Masks:

· Masks will remain mandatory for all indoor public venues, including public transport, front-of-house hospitality, retail and business premises, on planes and at airports.

· Only hospitality staff will be required to wear a mask when outdoors.

Any Coffs Coast residents visiting a stay-at-home local government area must isolate for 14 days upon returning to the Coffs Harbour region.

From Monday 13 September, restrictions were further eased for people who have received both doses of a COVID-19 vaccine.

In the Coffs Harbour region, up to five fully vaccinated adults can now engage in outdoor recreation in the local government area or within 5km of home.

Children under 12 are not counted in this total.

For further information on the latest restrictions visit www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19.

By Emma DARBIN