FROM 3pm today (January 19), the Northern Beaches will be removed from the list of COVID-19 affected government areas exempt from coming into the ACT. 

It means that Canberrans who visited the Northern Beaches and are currently in quarantine (in or outside of the ACT) are allowed to end quarantine early at 3pm.

Chief Minister Andrew Barr said this will see about 75 people end quarantine requirements early.

“This reflects the improved situation in that area,” he said. 

There remain 10 COVID-19 affected areas on the list, including Blacktown (city), Burwood, Canada Bay (city), Canterbury-Bankstown, Cumberland, Fairfield (city), Inner West, Liverpool (city), Paramatta (city), and Strathfield Municipality.

ACT residents and non-residents who have been in the remaining 10 COVID-19 affected LGAs of Western and south-western Sydney in the past 14 days, will still need to complete their quarantine period, Mr Barr said.

“Those local government areas remain on our list. They are there because they pose enough risk to the ACT for us to retain our existing travel and quarantine requirements [and] we continue to urge Canberrans not to travel to those government areas,” he said. 

“At this time we anticipate that the restrictions will remain in place for another  week but we will update the community this coming Friday (January 22) to make clear what restrictions will be in place over the Australia Day long weekend.”