Southern Tasmania To Go Into Three-Day Snap Lockdown Tonight

Southern Tasmania will go into a three-day snap lockdown tonight after a Covid-positive man escaped hotel quarantine.

The man visited Woolworths Bridgewater between 3:30pm and 4pm on October 12.

The lockdown will commence from 6pm tonight. 

Southern Tasmania includes the local government areas of:

• 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

Those in lockdown will only be able to leave their home for the following reasons: 

• Shopping for essentials within 5km of home or your closest store
• Exercise outdoors — alone, with your household or with one other person for a maximum of two hours
• To attend medical appointments, including COVID vaccines and tests
• Work if you are a permitted worker
• School on Monday if the child can't learn from home 
• Childcare and other care reasons
• Vet appointments

Restrictions include: 

• Face masks must be worn indoors and outdoors unless you're in your own home
• Only ten people are allowed at a funeral
• No weddings except for compassionate reasons (and even then, only five people are allowed)
• No visitors to homes
• Construction will shut down for three days unless it's an emergency
• Visits to hospitals and aged care are restricted

Premier Peter Gutwein revealed the man has not been working with authorities.

"He has not been cooperative, leading to inconsistency and non-disclosure of information. We simply cannot afford for an outbreak to occur," he said.

You can view the full list of exposure sites here.

Those without symptoms are urged to get vaccinated. You can find out where to go via www.coronavirus.tas.gov.au/vaccine.

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