Health expert has 'no doubt' more restrictions will come as Sydney sits on knife-edge
As Sydneysiders face an anxious wait to learn how far the Northern Beaches cluster has spread, a leading health expert says she has "no doubt" further restrictions will be applied to the city.
Thirty new cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in NSW yesterday, 28 of which were linked to the Avalon outbreak.
In a bid to slow the spread, NSW Health has re-introduced a raft of new restrictions including a cap on household visitors over Christmas. This is in addition to a localised Northern Beaches lockdown which will be reviewed on Wednesday.
READ MORE: New restrictions for Greater Sydney amid 30 new cases
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The Manly Wharf area - usually bustling - is deserted. 9News
Chair for the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Jane Halton said she has no doubt restrictions will tighten further if more cases emerge outside of the Northern Beaches.
She has backed the restrictions and lockdown implemented so far, telling Today it's critical the government "go hard, go early, go household".
Jane Halton has backed NSW's hard and fast response to the growing Northern Beaches cluster. Today
"In other words stay home. It could get worse," Ms Halton said.
"If they discover that it has leaked into other places, I have no doubt that they will apply further restrictions.
"And that is what they should do. This is why they are asking people to be cautious. To not go out, to limit the number of people and gatherings. To make sure that we limit the risk and that's really appropriate.
"Everybody should be very, very cautious."
READ MORE: Get tested for coronavirus if you have been to these NSW venues
A Northern Beaches resident gets tested for COVID-19 at the Manly drive through clinic, North Head. SMH Sam Edmonds
Ms Halton has called on Sydneysiders to start mapping their movements and adhering to public health measures to better aid health officials.
"We should be aware of where we have been, in fact, I have done that myself, look in my diary, (ask) where I have been, have I been anywhere near those venues, to make sure we find every single tentacle on the thing to get it under control," she said.
A COVID-19 digital sign is seen on Dee Why beachfront on December 19, 2020 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Lee Hulsman/Getty Images) Getty
"I wear a mask. That's what I strongly recommend other people do too — and I always carry hand sanitiser."
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