New South Wales has recorded an increase in coronavirus hospitalisations as the number of new cases in the state marginally decreases on Christmas Eve. 7NEWS
Masks are now mandatory in all indoor settings.
From December 27, hospitality venues will return to the one person per two-square metre rule and QR codes will again be compulsory in all settings.NSW Health has also been forced to scale back its contact tracing efforts as the virus spreads rapidly. Just over one in two - 54 per cent - of people who test positive were fully interviewed by health bureaucrats within a day last week.To help NSW Health direct resources to the most vulnerable or high risk cases, people who test positive will get a text message asking them to fill out an online questionnaire.About four in five people fill it out, said NSW Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant on Thursday.
Those who are only contacted by text are asked to let their contacts know about their diagnosis, a task which used to be performed by bureaucrats. Only those who work at or have visited a high-risk setting like a disability group home, Aboriginal community or jail will get a phone call from NSW Health.