THE ACT has effectively closed its border to anyone who has been in the Northern Beaches, Greater Sydney, Central Coast and Wollongong Local Government Areas of NSW.

From today, anyone who has been in those areas and is not an ACT resident, is legally not permitted to be in the ACT without a valid exemption.

ACT Health says that if people from these areas need to travel to the ACT for extraordinary circumstances, they will need to apply for an exemption at least three days before their travel. 

“The changes to the direction apply to non-ACT residents only and do not change the current travel requirements for ACT residents returning from these COVID-19 affected areas. ACT residents still need to notify ACT Health of their intention to return to the ACT via our online declaration form and enter quarantine for 14 days,” the directorate says.   

ACT chief health officer Dr Kerryn Coleman says the strengthening of these travel restrictions was necessary to protect the ACT community. 

“In recent days we have continued to see around 80 non-ACT residents from COVID-19 affected areas of NSW travel to the ACT daily,” she says. 

“As a result we now have around 2000 people in quarantine in the ACT, 25 per cent of which are non-ACT residents. 

“We are putting in place strengthened travel restrictions to make it absolutely clear to non-ACT residents who live or have recently visited COVID-19 affected areas of NSW that they are not able to be in the ACT at this time.

“This new direction significantly strengthens our travel restrictions and as with all public health directions there are penalties for people who do not comply with this direction.

“For those in COVID-19 affected areas of NSW, we ask that you respect the public health direction that has been put in place and do not travel to the ACT.” 

ACT Health will work with accommodation providers to ensure they are aware of the requirements for travellers from COVID-19 affected areas of NSW to have an exemption. 

Police will enforce the public health direction and from today will have a presence at Federal Highway.

Information on requirements for travel to the ACT from NSW, including this updated direction at NSW travel page on the ACT COVID-19 website.The online declaration form for ACT residents, and the exemption form for non-ACT residents, will be unavailable between 9am and midday today so they can be updated to reflect these changes.

An updated public health direction will come into effect from midday today (Saturday 2 January 2021) requiring all non-ACT residents travelling from COVID-19 affected areas of NSW to have an exemption to be in the ACT.

This updated direction means that anyone who has been in the Northern Beaches, Greater Sydney, Central Coast and Wollongong Local Government Areas (LGAs) of NSW, and is not an ACT resident, is legally not permitted to be in the ACT without a valid exemption. If people from these areas need to travel to the ACT for extraordinary circumstances, they will need to apply for an exemption at least three days prior to their travel. 

The changes to the direction apply to non-ACT residents only and do not change the current travel requirements for ACT residents returning from these COVID-19 affected areas. ACT residents still need to notify ACT Health of their intention to return to the ACT via our online declaration form and enter quarantine for 14 days.  

ACT Chief Health Officer Dr Kerryn Coleman said the strengthening of these travel restrictions was necessary to protect the ACT community. 

“In recent days we have continued to see around 80 non-ACT residents from COVID-19 affected areas of NSW travel to the ACT daily,” Dr Coleman said. 

“As a result we now have around 2,000 people in quarantine in the ACT, 25 per cent of which are non-ACT residents. 

“We are putting in place strengthened travel restrictions to make it absolutely clear to non-ACT residents who live or have recently visited COVID-19 affected areas of NSW that they are not able to be in the ACT at this time. 

“This new direction significantly strengthens our travel restrictions and as with all public health directions there are penalties for people who do not comply with this direction.

“For those in COVID-19 affected areas of NSW, we ask that you respect the public health direction that has been put in place and do not travel to the ACT.” 

ACT Health will work with accommodation providers to ensure they are aware of the requirements for travellers from COVID-19 affected areas of NSW to have an exemption. 

ACT Policing will be enforcing this public health direction and will tomorrow have a presence at Federal Highway. 

Applications for exemption must be submitted at least three days prior to travel but no more than 14 days prior to the proposed travel date. 

For further information on requirements for travel to the ACT from NSW, including this updated direction, visit the NSW travel page on the ACT COVID-19 website.