Not the best way to end the year…

After what has been a straight up shitty couple of days for Northern Beaches residents and other Sydneysiders, Queensland and Victoria have decided to shut their borders to Greater Sydney and the Central Coast, following the developing COVID-19 outbreak from the Beaches. The new rules came into effect midnight last night in Victoria and 1am this morning in Queensland.

Announcing the new Victorian border rules, Victoria Premier Dan Andrews issued a firm warning to Sydneysiders, saying “If you’re in Greater Sydney, stay in Greater Sydney.” Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk echoed his sentiments, stating “If you are from Greater Sydney, now is not the time to travel to Queensland” and declaring the Northern Beaches a COVID hotspot.

Similarly, the Northern Territory, ACT, South and West Australia have imposed new restrictions for Sydney residents, declaring mandatory self-isolation for anyone from Greater Sydney (which extends as far as Wollongong, the Central Coast and the Blue Mountains).

“These are unusual times, these are extraordinary measures but they’re necessary,” WA Premier Mark McGowan said as a press conference.

“I just urge New South Wales to do everything they can to kill the virus.”

The moves follow NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian’s recent announcement yesterday that the Northern Beaches cluster had grown to 68 cases, with more expected to be announced today at her 11am update.

It’s definitely shitty news at what was meant to be a celebratory time for Sydneysiders following this fuck around of a year, but fingers crossed we get on top of it all soon and are able to reign in the new year in a semi-normal fashion.