From Saturday, aged care and health workers who live in Sydney’s Fairfield and Cumberland local government areas (LGAs) but work outside these areas must be tested for COVID-19 once every three days.
NSW Health said the new testing requirement applied to all health or aged care workers, including support services for health or aged care, such as cleaners, cooks and security providers.
“Previously, this applied to all authorised workers in Fairfield LGA who work outside the area, but from Saturday will only apply to aged and healthcare workers in Fairfield LGA,” NSW Health said in a statement this afternoon.
“These updated surveillance testing requirements will be enforceable from Saturday, 31 July. However, relevant workers will have from today until Saturday to get their first test.”
Also from Saturday, authorised workers from Sydney’s Canterbury-Bankstown local government area (LGA) must have been tested for COVID-19 in the previous 72 hours to work outside their LGA.
Previously, this testing requirement only applied to aged care or healthcare workers resident in Canterbury-Bankstown who worked outside the area.
“People are able to proceed to work while waiting for a result. People must also have evidence of the test available to their employer, the occupier of premises in which the person works or a police officer on request,” NSW Health said.
“People do not have to get tested in their LGA but can get tested at a convenient testing clinic location on their way to work or close to their work.
There are no surveillance testing requirements for the Liverpool, Blacktown, Parramatta, Campbelltown, and Georges River LGAs.
For the full list of authorised workers, please go to https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/rules/authorised-workers
There are more than 410 COVID-19 testing locations across NSW, many of which are open seven days a week. To find your nearest clinic visit COVID-19 testing clinics or contact your GP.
