Hobart enters snap lockdown

TASMANIA, AUSTRALIA

Hobart and southern Tasmania will be plunged into a three-day lockdown from 6pm tonight after an interstate traveller who breached quarantine tested positive for COVID-19.

In a statement, the Tasmanian health department said southern Tasmania would enter lockdown in the hope of identifying any further cases of the virus in the community.

The Southern Tasmania local government areas affected by the three-day lockdown include:

• Brighton Council
• Central Highlands Council
• Clarence City Council
• Derwent Valley Council
• Glamorgan-Spring Bay Council
• Glenorchy City Council
• Hobart City Council
• Huon Valley Council
• Kingborough Council
• Sorell Council
• Southern Midlands Council
• Tasman Council

Under the lockdown, residents must stay at home unless you are:

1. Shopping  for urgent household supplies within 5 km of home – only one person from a household at any one time.
2. Attending medical or health care appointments, including COVID-19 testing or vaccinations.
3. A permitted worker – a person working for a provider or business that is permitted to operate, and who cannot work from home.
4. Going to school – if the child of a permitted worker, or if unable to learn at home, or going to child care.
5. Exercising once per day outdoors within 5 km of home for up to two hours – alone or with your household or with one other person for safety reasons.
6. Caring for a vulnerable person  or for other compassionate reasons.
7. In other permitted circumstances, such as in an emergency or to escape harm relating to family violence.

You must not enter or exit the lockdown area of southern Tasmania unless you have a permitted reason.

G2G passes for travellers from high-risk areas who were arriving in Southern Tasmania will be cancelled. People with approved G2G passes going to other areas of the State will still be able to travel.

People with Tas e-Travel passes coming from low-risk areas can travel but must comply with lockdown restrictions if arriving in the South.

For more information on the restrictions and conditions of lockdown, go to Lockdown Measures.

If you have any cold or flu symptoms – no matter how mild – call the Public Health Hotline on 1800 671 738 to book a COVID-19 test. You can also register online at www.coronavirus.tas.gov.au/testing.

If you don’t have any symptoms, you should get vaccinated. Most community clinics are now accepting walk-ins and you don’t need an appointment.

To find out where you can get vaccinated, go to www.coronavirus.tas.gov.au/vaccine.