NSW records new COVID-19 case at Byron Beach Hotel where infected Queenslander attended hen’s party

Masks will be mandatory in NSW’s north and a raft of social-distancing restrictions will be tightened after a new COVID-19 case was found in Byron Bay last night.

As two COVID-19 clusters continue to grow in Brisbane, the NSW Government today confirmed community transmission of the virus had been discovered in the holiday hotspot — around an hour’s drive from the Queensland border.

The case will be reported in tomorrow’s official coronavirus numbers update and has been traced to the Byron Beach Hotel, which an infected visitor from Brisbane attended on March 20.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian said social-distancing restrictions in the Tweed, Byron, Ballina and Lismore local government areas (LGAs) would be tightened in response to the new infection.

From 5.00pm today until 11.59pm on Monday:

• Masks will be mandatory while shopping and using public transport, taxis and ride-sharing services
• Masks will be mandatory for hospitality workers
• The four-square-metre rule will apply in hospitality venues, where patrons must also be seated
• No more than 30 visitors will be allowed in homes

The State Government is also recommending people in those LGAs do not travel elsewhere, however this will not be policed.

Ms Berejiklian said the next few days would be “so critical”.

“As we know, during this time of year, there may be house parties or other events. We want all of those limited,” she said.

“The positive news in all of this is we’re not saying to businesses shut your doors, quite the opposite.

“We are saying you can keep your doors open but because of the risk that is there, we want you to be extra cautious.”

The new case, a man in his 20s, attended the pub with three friends who have since tested negative for COVID-19.

Health Minister Brad Hazzard said the government was in discussions with organisers of the annual Bluesfest, which is scheduled to begin tomorrow and was expected to attract up to 15,000 patrons.

“We have expressed our concerns and noted that we will be working with our public health officials today,” he said.

“We have asked for some information from them and they have been very obliging on that front.”

Ballina MP Tamara Smith said she couldn’t see how the event could go ahead given the restrictions introduced for the North Coast.

Mr Hazzard said ticket holders would be updated on the event’s plans within 24 hours.

Meanwhile, Ms Berejiklian and Mr Hazzard fired a broadside at their federal colleagues, over reports which criticised the pace of COVID-19 vaccinations in the states.

Ms Berejiklian said reports NSW had administered only half of its doses was “extremely unfair” and it gave the false impression that health authorities were sitting on caches of the vaccine.

“It is unfair to go out publicly and comment on the rollout when you literally only let the state know in the last 24 to 48 hours what those new doses are,” she said.

“There is no point in delivering something to us a day ago or two day ago and saying you haven’t rolled them out.”

Mr Hazzard also lashed out at the Federal Government, labelled the reports “misleading” and said his state and territory counterparts shared the sentiment.

“One day we are the gold standard and the next day we are being told we are not,” he said.

“I am as angry as I have ever been in this 15 months of war against this virus.”

ABC