The ACT will enter a seven-day lockdown from 5.00pm today, as a result of a COVID-19 case being identified in the community and positive wastewater detections reported overnight.
The lockdown will remain in place until 5.00pm Thursday 19 August 2021.
People in the ACT can only leave their home for the following essential reasons:
- To shop for essentials like groceries and medicine and supplies that are essential for personal needs or for vulnerable people
- To obtain essential health care, including to undertake a COVID-19 test or receive a scheduled COVID-19 vaccination
- To exercise outdoors for no more than one hour per day, with one other person, or your household group
- To provide essential caregiving services
- To undertake essential work
Where possible, people should undertake these essential activities within their local region.
Further details on the approved reasons for leaving home are available on the ACT COVID-19 website.
Face masks must be carried at all times and worn by everyone aged over 12 years outside the home.
Non-essential businesses, including non-essential retail must close for the duration of the lockdown.
If you can work from home, you must work from home.
Further information on permitted activities and which businesses can operate during the lockdown is available on the ACT COVID-19 website.
Everyone in the ACT should continue to review the ACT COVID-19 website for exposure locations.
We know that people will be concerned about having COVID-19 in the community, but we must prioritise our testing to people with symptoms and people identified as a close contact by ACT Health.
The ACT Government is ramping up its testing capacity across the Territory and preparing to stand up a new Drive Through COVID-19 Testing Clinic at Brindabella Business Park in the Canberra Airport precinct this afternoon.
We are working to open the Drive Through Clinic from 4pm until 8pm today and open again at 8am tomorrow.
It is located on Molonglo Drive (entry off Pialligo Avenue).
For additional information about testing visit the ACT COVID-19 website.
The ACT is also declaring all of NSW as a COVID-19 affected area. For residents in the surrounding NSW region, if you live in one of the following approved postcodes you may enter the ACT for essential work and healthcare reasons only. You will not need an exemption as you are covered by a standing exemption issued by ACT Health. ACT Policing will be undertaking compliance checks across the ACT and you will be expected to provide proof of residential address and the reason you are moving about the ACT community.
Postcodes | Included cities, townships and areas |
2581 | Gunning, Collector |
2582 | Murrumbateman, Yass |
2584 | Binalong |
2611 | Uriarra |
2618 | Wallaroo, areas along the ACT's north-western edge |
2619 | Jerrabomberra |
2620 | Queanbeyan, Googong, Karabar, Sutton, Gundaroo |
2621 | Bungendore |
2623 | Captains Flat |
2626 | Bredbo and Michelago |
If you live outside these postcodes and need to enter the ACT for essential work or healthcare reasons, you will be required to seek an exemption.
Today we have been notified of a new case of COVID-19 in the ACT, in a man in his 20s residing in Gungahlin.
This case is under investigation and contact tracing is under way, but it is apparent this new case spent time in the community while infectious and visited a large number of venues.
Concerningly, there is no established link to any known cases in NSW at this time.
Additionally, last night ACT Health was notified of positive wastewater detections at the City-Central, North Canberra and Woden Valley collection sites, as well as the Lower Molonglo site downstream.
Contact tracing is under way and an initial list of exposure locations has been identified.
If you attended any of the venues listed during the below times you are considered a close contact and must quarantine for 14 days and get tested. You must complete the online form available on the ACT COVID-19 website.
Suburb | Place | Date | Arrival time | Departure time |
Canberra City | Fiction Bar | 8 August | 12:00am | 4:45am |
Woden | Church of Pentecost, 19B Irving St | 8 August | 10:30am | 1pm |
Fyshwick | Freedom Furniture | 8 August | 2pm | 2:20pm |
Fyshwick | JB Hifi | 8 August | 2:15pm | 2:35pm |
Fyshwick | TK Maxx | 8 August | 2:35pm | 2:50pm |
Braddon | Assembly Pub | 8 August | 9pm | 9:30pm |
Fyshwick | Stockade Training Centre | 9 August | 7:30am | 1pm |
Fyshwick | Stockade Training Centre | 10 August | 9am | 11am |
Manuka | Urban Pantry | 10 August | 10:30am | 1pm |
Fyshwick | Harvey Norman | 10 August | 11am | 12pm |
Mitchell | North Canberra Business Centre | 11 August | 11:10am | 11:30am |
Cook | Companion House | 11 August | 11:30am | 11:45am |
Kingston | Capital Chemist | 11 August | 12pm | 12:15pm |
Manuka | Coles | 11 August | 12:15pm | 12:40pm |
Additionally, anyone who attended the Canberra Outlet Centre (outside of the individual outlets listed above) between 2pm and 3.30pm on Sunday 8 August 2021 must monitor for symptoms and get tested immediately if these develop.
ACT Health will be updating the ACT COVID-19 website regularly, with exposure locations posted each day. Even if you have not been in an exposure location please be extra vigilant when monitoring for symptoms of COVID-19 and get tested immediately if you experience even the mildest of symptoms.
We will continue to provide regular updates on the situation as it emerges.