By the New South Wales Government.

Australia is already the laughing stock of the world for its absurd mishandling of the Covid panic and the extreme authoritarianism which has overtaken the country, including the most violent scenes ever witnessed on the country’s streets.

Now the NSW Health Department, a truly out of control bureaucracy, has introduced draconian restrictions for the unvaccinated.

Not one vaccine being pushed onto the Australian population in multibillion dollar campaigns has yet received final approval from the nation’s regulatory agency Therapeutic Goods Administration. All the vaccine manufacturers have received government indemnity for any adverse reactions to their products.

NSW Government logo | NSW Government

Rules for people who are not fully vaccinated

Last updated: 17 October 2021

For people over the age of 16 who are not fully vaccinated, more rules and restrictions apply.  
 
You are not fully vaccinated if you have had: 

  • only one dose of a COVID-19 vaccination or 
  • no doses of a COVID-19 vaccination. 
     

Masks, COVID-19 Safe Check-in, and vaccination evidence

Masks

All people over the age of 12 must wear a face mask: 

  • in indoor areas (e.g. while shopping, when at a library) 
  • in indoor areas of common property of apartment buildings 
  • at a public transport waiting area  
  • while on public transport 
  • if you are working at a hospitality venue and dealing directly with members of the public 
  • on an aircraft when the aircraft is flying above NSW and in the airport.

Exemptions are available. Learn more about face mask rules. 

COVID-19 safe check in

Occupiers of premises are required to continue to take reasonable steps to ensure people can check-in or provide their contact details to when they enter your premises. 

If you are entering a premises where check-in is required, you must:

  • check in with the Service.NSW app
  • provide your details to the occupier of the premises.

Learn more about COVID-19 Safe Check-in.

Vaccination evidence

Vaccination evidence includes:

A person who is required to be fully vaccinated to enter premises must:

  • Carry their vaccination evidence
  • Produce the evidence if requested to do so by a police officer or authorised officer.

If you are required to be fully vaccinated to enter a premises, you may be asked to produce your vaccination evidence by the occupier. We encourage you to comply with an occupier’s request.

You do not have to produce your vaccination evidence to the occupier, however, the occupier may refuse entry to you if you do not produce your vaccination evidence.

People who provide an emergency service are able to enter premises if they are not fully vaccinated and are at the premises to provide an emergency service.  Visiting COVID reopening icon

Visiting family and friends

Place of residence

The rules for visiting a place of residence have changed.

If you are over the age of 16 years and are not fully vaccinated you cannot visit another person’s place of residence, except in limited circumstances. 

You can visit someone at their home, and have someone visit your home for the purposes of: 

  • work
  • helping someone move house 
  • childcare 
  • giving effect to new or existing arrangements for access to, and contact between, parents and children or siblings for children who do not live in the same household as a parent or sibling of the child  
  • because of an emergency or to avoid an injury, illness or risk of harm 
  • to view or inspect property to lease or purchase it, but only in compliance with specific rules on property inspections 
  • caring or compassionate reasons.

Anyone under the age of 16 who is not fully vaccinated is not subject to these restrictions and may:

  • visit homes if everyone in the home aged 16 years and older is fully vaccinated; and
  • be visited in their homes if everyone aged 16 years and older in their home is fully vaccinated. 

Caring and compassionate visits

If you are not fully vaccinated you are allowed to visit a home – and have a person visit your home – for caring and compassionate reasons including:  

  • for carer’s responsibilities
  • providing care or assistance to vulnerable people 
  • visiting a person you are in a relationship with but do not live with. 

An icon image depicting a person running.

Sport and exercise

General rules

Sport and exercise options are significantly greater for people who are fully vaccinated. 

People who are fully vaccinated can participate in an outdoor sport and exercise gathering of up to 50 people.

If you are not fully vaccinated you can participate in a gathering for sport or exercise with one other person or with your household.

Gyms and indoor recreation facilities

Gyms and indoor recreation facilities, such as a squash court, table tennis centre, health studio, bowling alley, and ice rink can open.

If you are not fully vaccinated you cannot visit a gym or indoor recreation facility.

Recreation facilities

Recreation facilities such as zoos, aquariums, sports stadiums, showgrounds, racecourses, motor racing tracks and theme parks, can open. 

If you are not fully vaccinated you cannot visit a recreation facility. 

Public swimming pools

Outdoor public swimming pools can open.  

Indoor public swimming pools can open for: 

  • swimming classes 
  • lap swimming 
  • squad training and 
  • rehabilitation activities. 

If you are not fully vaccinated you cannot visit a public swimming pool, either indoor or outdoor. 

Outdoor gatherings

Up to 50 people can participate in an outdoor gathering, for example, for outdoor recreation such as a picnic.

If you are not fully vaccinated you can gather with one other person or with your household.

Outdoor events

Outdoor events and gatherings can take place in NSW.

if you are not fully vaccinated you cannot attend an outdoor event. An icon of a person with maths symbols representing working from home

Schools

Schools can open and teaching can resume face-to-face. 

Follow the rules for schools at the Department of Education.
 Restaurants hospitality shopping COVID reopening icon

Shopping and personal services

Premises that remain closed

The following businesses and premises in NSW must remain closed to the public: 

  • amusement centres, such as places to play billiards, pool, pinball machines or video games
  • play centres 
  • strip clubs 
  • public swimming pools in indoor areas, except if they are used to conduct swimming lessons, lap swimming, squad training and rehabilitation activities.

Retail, products and services

Retail premises and businesses that provide goods or services can open and resume in store services to customers.

If you are not fully vaccinated

If you are not fully vaccinated, you can only visit critical retail premises. These are:

  • supermarkets
  • grocery stores
  • shops that mainly sell food or drinks, like butchers, bakeries, fruit and vegetable shops, and delicatessens
  • kiosks
  • petrol stations
  • banks and financial institutions
  • hardware and building supplies
  • landscaping material supplies
  • rural supplies
  • shops that mainly sell:
    • pet supplies
    • newspapers, magazines or stationary (for example, newsagents)
    • office supplies
    • maternity or baby supplies
    • medical or pharmaceutical supplies (for example, chemists)
    • alcohol (for example, liquor stores)
  • post offices
  • garden centres and plant nurseries
  • vehicle hire businesses but not businesses that sell vehicles
  • shops that mainly carry out repairs of mobile phones
  • laundromats and drycleaners.

For any other retail premises, or a business that provides goods or services, you can only visit these premises if the business chooses to offer Click-and-Collect.

If you visit critical retail premises, you must:

  • check in with the Service NSW app or provide your contact details to the occupier
  • follow the face mask rules.

People who provide an emergency service are able to enter premises if they are not fully vaccinated and are at the premises to provide an emergency service.  

Hairdressers, beauty salons and massage premises

Hairdressers, spas, nail salons, beauty salons, waxing salons, tanning salons, tattoo parlours and massage parlours can open. 

If you are not fully vaccinated you cannot visit a retail hairdresser, beauty salon or massage premises. Restaurants COVID reopening icon

Restaurants and hospitality

Hospitality premises, such as casinos, restaurants, cafes, function centres, food courts, take away food and drink premises, kiosks, micro-breweries or small distilleries, cellar doors, pubs, registered clubs, small bars and nightclubs can re-open to customers to consume food and beverages on premises. 

If you are not fully vaccinated you cannot visit a hospitality venue except for take away.Construction COVID reopening icon

Construction and renovations

 

Construction and renovations across NSW can commence or continue. 

The rules for construction sites are the same whether you are fully vaccinated or not fully vaccinated. 

You can enter a construction site in NSW.

You must check in with the Service.NSW app or provide your contact details to the occupier of the site and follow the face mask rules. 

For rules about renovations, repairs, maintenance and cleaning at your home, follow the rules for visitors to a home.
An icon of a person at a computer screen representing working from home.

Work

The rules for work change on Monday 11 October 2021:

  • a travel registration is not required
  • you can work anywhere in NSW
  • if a workplace can open, it may need to follow the rules for COVID-19 Safe Check in
  • vaccination rules for business may apply. The vaccination rules for business are different for businesses in Greater Sydney and regional and rural NSW
  • Follow the face mask rules. If you are fully vaccinated and work in an office building, you no longer have to wear a face mask in the office building except when they are in part of that building that is either a retail premise, hospitality venue or (indoors) in a recreation facility. 

If you live in Greater Sydney and are not fully vaccinated

Greater Sydney includes the Central Coast, Blue Mountains, Shellharbour and Wollongong Local Government Areas. If you are not fully vaccinated your employer must require you to work from home unless it is not reasonably practicable to do so. 

If you are not fully vaccinated and it is not reasonably practicable for you to work from home, you can go to work, so long as it is not at a business re-opening at 70%.

If you live in regional and rural NSW and are not fully vaccinated

If you have had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine your employer must allow you to work from home if is reasonably practicable to do so.  

If you have not had any doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, you must work from home if it is reasonably practicable to do so. Your employer must require you to work from home unless it is not reasonably practicable to do so.

If you have had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and you are required to attend your place of work you can go to work. From 1 November 2021, you must be fully vaccinated to go work.

If you have not had any doses of a COVID-19 vaccine and it is not reasonably practicable to work from home, you cannot go to work if you are required to be vaccinated. 

If you work as an:

  • aged care worker
  • education and care worker
  • health care worker
  • airport worker
  • disability and early childhood care worker
  • quarantine worker
  • transport provider.

Requirements to be fully vaccinated before performing your job continue to apply. Follow the rules for vaccination for workers.Events COVID reopening icon

Events and entertainment

Entertainment facilities

 

Entertainment facilities, such as a cinema, theatre, musical hall, concert hall, dance hall, or drive-in cinemas, can open.

If you are not fully vaccinated you cannot visit an entertainment facility. 
 Weddings and religious services COVID reopening icon

Weddings and religious ceremonies

Weddings

Weddings in NSW have restrictions for people who are not fully vaccinated.

You can attend a small wedding service anywhere in NSW.

If you are not fully vaccinated you can only attend a small wedding service. 

A small wedding service is a wedding with up to 11 people attending, being:

  • the people getting married
  • the person marrying them
  • two witnesses
  • a person to record the service
  • 5 guests.

All people who are not fully vaccinated at a small wedding service must be seated while consuming alcohol and while eating and drinking.

Dancing is permitted. 

Funerals and memorial services

Funerals and memorial services in NSW have restrictions for people who are not fully vaccinated.

All people at a small funeral or memorial service must be seated while consuming food and drink. Dancing is permitted.

You can attend a small funeral or memorial service anywhere in NSW.

If you are not fully vaccinated you can only attend a small funeral or memorial service. 

A small funeral or memorial service is a funeral or memorial with up to 10 people attending, not including the person conducting the service and anyone necessary for the conduct of the service. 

Places of worship

A place of worship can open to members of the public. 

If you are not fully vaccinated you cannot attend a place of worship.Travel COVID reopening icon

Travel and transport

From 11 October 2021 you do not need register travel within NSW. Travel restrictions still apply.

Sharing a vehicle and carpooling

Rules for sharing a vehicle have changed.

If you are not fully vaccinated you can only travel in a vehicle with people you live with. You are only allowed to share a car with a person you do not live with if it is:  

  • an emergency 
  • for a compassionate reason 
  • to provide care or assistance to a vulnerable person 
  • a car being used as a taxi or rideshare. 
  • required to use a vehicle for your work 
  • to provide a public transport service.

For children under the age of 16 who are not fully vaccinated, you can travel in a vehicle with another person you do not live with. You do not have to carry or produce evidence of your name and address.

Vessels

Rules for sharing a vessel have changed.

If you are not fully vaccinated you can only travel in a vessel with people you live with. You are only allowed to share a vessel with a person you do not live with if it is:  

  • an emergency
  • for a compassionate reason
  • to provide care or assistance to a vulnerable person
  • a car being used as a taxi or rideshare
  • required to use a vehicle for your work 
  • to provide a public transport service.

For children under the age of 16 who are not fully vaccinated, you can travel in a car with another person you do not live with. You do not have to carry or produce evidence of your name and address.

Holidays and holiday homes or recreational regional visits

Until 1 November 2021, people in Greater Sydney cannot travel beyond Greater Sydney for a holiday or recreational visits including day-trips.

Greater Sydney includes the Central Coast, Blue Mountains, Shellharbour and Wollongong local government areas (see map).  

People outside of Greater Sydney cannot enter Greater Sydney for a holiday or recreational visits including day-trips.

If you want to: 

  • leave Greater Sydney and enter regional and rural NSW, or 
  • leave regional and rural NSW and enter Greater Sydney 

you need a reasonable excuse. 

If you are not fully vaccinated you can use a holiday home or short-term accommodation with people who are from your household.

If you are not fully vaccinated you cannot take a holiday or undertake recreation outside the local government area you live in.