Fears of a second wave of the deadly coronavirus sweeping Sydney have been fuelled by a photo of dozens of pub patrons brazenly ignoring safe distancing guidelines.
The picture – snapped outside the Golden Sheaf Hotel in Sydney’s eastern suburbs last night – shows a long line of booze-hungry punters crammed closely together, risking thousands of dollars in fines for breaking the rules. Health experts have ordered people to keep 1.5 metres distance to stop the spread of coronavirus.
In a statement to Sky News, Solotel Group CEO Justine Baker said their hotel was abiding by NSW Health guidelines and had worked with police to dispel the crowds. She said Golden Sheaf would now only accept bookings on Wednesday nights from 8pm and extra staff would be rostered on. Police Minister David Elliott said businesses found to be flouting public health orders could face a penalty of $55,000 or a $5,000 on-the-spot-fine.
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