​To protect the people of NSW from the evolving COVID-19 outbreak, new restrictions will be introduced for the Orange City Council, Blayney Shire Council, and Cabonne Shire Council areas from 12.01am Wednesday July 21 until 12.01am Wednesday July 28.

Following updated health advice from the Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant about the growing risk to the community, stay-at-home orders will apply to all people who live in the Orange City Council, Blayney Shire Council, and Cabonne Shire Council areas, or have been there on or after Saturday July 17.

Everyone in these areas must stay at home unless it is for an essential reason.

The reasons you may leave your home include:

• Shopping for food or other essential goods and services;
• Medical care or compassionate needs (people can leave home to have a COVID-19 vaccination unless you have been identified as a close contact);
• Exercise outdoors in groups of 2 or fewer (unless members of the same household);
• Work, or tertiary education, where you cannot work or study from home.
  
• Schools will remain open, under Level 3 restrictions. All staff and students are still expected to be at school.
• To attend a wedding or a funeral (but only during the grace period, which ends at 12:01am on Friday 23 July 2021). After this date, funerals will be limited to ten people.
• Masks must be worn indoors (not including the home) and in outdoor settings where you cannot socially distance from others (e.g. while queuing for takeaway).

COVID-19 testing clinics are open at Bathurst, Orange, Parkes, Blayney and Molong.

The government and health experts will continue to monitor the situation closely and provide updated information and advice.

We understand this is a difficult time for the community and appreciate their ongoing patience.

It is vital people continue to come forward for testing to help us find any COVID-19 cases in the community.

For more information visit the NSW Government website.