Businesses in Maitland are getting set to reopen on Monday, October 11 following the NSW government's roadmap for easing COVID-19 restrictions.
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Although Monday is being called 'freedom day' by some, there will still be restrictions to follow, as businesses and customers observe square metre rules, maximum numbers of customers, masks and vaccination rules.
Helen Stuckings, owner of Inspirations Hair Design on High Street said her and her team are very excited to open back up after nine weeks of closure.
"We're spending all day here today ringing clients back and booking them in for next week, they're all very excited on the other end of the phone," she said.
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Ms Stuckings said this lockdown has had a real impact on the staff and the clients, especially as their service is so personal.
"Our business is a people person business so we miss that communication with them, and some of our clients live on their own so they're very excited to see us... I think it's excitement all around."
Ms Stuckings explained hair salons are limited to five clients at once, which will be difficult to navigate with some treatments lasting several hours.
"We're lucky because we have a big salon and our chairs are spaced out anyway, but we are only allowed five clients in the salon at once at this stage."
"We have 12 staff so that is an impact too, we're going to have to scatter and do a different roster so everybody can get some hours of work... it's hard."
When it comes to turning away unvaccinated people, Ms Stuckings said it's a bit sad but we have to follow the rules and regulations.
"We don't want to discriminate but we've got to follow government rules and in the meantime you have to keep the other clients and the staff safe too."
The NSW government has said that from the Monday after NSW hits the 70 per cent double-dose vaccination target, eased restrictions will allow those who are fully vaccinated to:
- Have 10 visitors in your home
- Access gyms, indoor recreation and sporting facilities
- Visit hospitality settings with up to 20 people per booking.
All premises will operate at one person per four square metres indoors and one person per two square metres outdoors.
For those who are fully vaccinated, the following rules apply at 70% double-dose rates:
Masks are required for all staff and customers in all indoor settings and are no longer required in outdoor settings (except for front-of-house hospitality staff) and COVID Safe check ins and proof of vaccination will be required for staff and customers.
When visiting family and friends, up to 10 visitors are allowed in a home at any one time, and small outdoor gatherings are permitted with up to 20 people. Visitors to aged care facilities is permitted in line with their policies.
Travel holidays between regional LGAs are permitted (people in regional LGAs cannot enter Greater Sydney for holidays), carpooling is permitted and caravan and camping grounds will reopen.
Gyms, indoor recreation and sporting facilities will reopen with density limits and a maximum of 20 people in classes, and community sport is not permitted.
Non-critical retail stores will open with density limits and services like hairdressers, nail salons and tattoo parlours will reopen with density limits and a maximum of 5 clients at a time.
Hospitality venues will reopen with up to 20 people per booking and indoor singing is not permitted. When drinking indoors patrons must be seated, but can stand if outdoors, and dancing outdoors is allowed whilst dancing indoors is not (except at weddings).
For workers, employers must allow staff to continue to work from home if reasonably practicable and unvaccinated staff must also work from home.
Events and entertainment can go ahead with major facilities like stadiums and theme parks reopening for up to 5000 people, cinemas and theatres reopening with the density limit or 75% fixed seat capacity, and information and education facilities like libraries and museums opening with density limits.
Nightclubs remain closed.
Weddings and funerals will be permitted for up to 100 people, with eating and drinking to be seated, and places of worship will reopen abiding by the density limit.
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