Face mask rules | NSW Government

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Wearing a face mask is mandatory in some settings. Learn about when you need to wear a face mask, when you can remove it and who is exempt.

On this page

www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/rules/changes/face-mask-rules

 

US Open offering tennis players access to mental health professionals | Sports News

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By: AP | 
August 25, 2021 6:03:46 pm

A view of the Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York. (Reuters)

Players at the U.S. Open will have access to licensed mental health providers and quiet rooms as part of an initiative announced Tuesday by the U.S. Tennis Association.

Players at the U.S. Open will have access to licensed mental health providers and quiet rooms as part of an initiative announced Tuesday by the U.S. Tennis Association.

USTA said it seeks to “ensure that a comprehensive and holistic approach will be taken with all aspects of player health, including mental health.”

“Our goal is to make mental health services as readily available to athletes as services for a sprained ankle — and with no stigma attached,” said Dr. Brian Hainline, a USTA first vice president. “We will provide an environment that fosters wellness while providing the necessary resources to readily allow mental health care seeking.”

 

The USTA said it seeks to “ensure that a comprehensive and holistic approach will be taken with all aspects of player health, including mental health.”

“Our goal is to make mental health services as readily available to athletes as services for a sprained ankle — and with no stigma attached,” said Dr. Brian Hainline, a USTA first vice president. “We will provide an environment that fosters wellness while providing the necessary resources to readily allow mental health care seeking

COVID UPDATE: From 13 Sept, Groups of 5 People if Double Vaccinated.

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People across NSW who have received both doses of a COVID-19 vaccine will be allowed more freedoms next month after NSW hit the target of six million jabs.
 

This is the first step in the roadmap and further freedoms will follow for those who have had the jab when the state hits new vaccination targets of 70 and 80 per cent.

Following consultation with Dr Kerry Chant and her team, as well as the NSW Chief Psychiatrist Dr Murray Wright, the following individual freedoms will be allowed for adults who have received both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.

From 12.01am, Monday, 13 September:

  • For those who live outside the LGAs of concern, outdoor gatherings of up to five people (including children) will be allowed in a person’s LGA or within 5km of home.
  • For those who live in the LGAs of concern, and who have responded to the call out to get vaccinated, households with all adults vaccinated will be able to gather outdoors (including picnics) within the existing rules (for one hour only, outside curfew hours and within 5km of home).

If you are not booked in for a COVID-19 vaccine, please book an appointment as soon possible.

There are several options to receive your ‘proof of COVID-19 vaccination’:

  • Download your COVID-19 digital certificate via the Express Plus Medicaremobile app or your Medicare online account through myGov.
    • You can add your COVID-19 digital certificate to your Apple Wallet or Google Pay.
    • Instructions are available on the Services Australia website.
  • ​​​​If you can’t get proof online, your vaccination provider can print your immunisation history statement for you.
  • Call the Australian Immunisation Register on 1800 653 809 (Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm) and ask for your statement to be sent to you. It can take up to 14 days to arrive in the post.
  • If you’re not eligible for Medicare you can call the Australian Immunisation Register and request your certificate be mailed to you or add your COVID-19 certificate to your digital wallet using the Individual Healthcare Identifiers service (IHI service) through myGov.

Read the latest COVID-19 information.

www.nsw.gov.au/media-releases/new-freedoms-for-vaccinated-first-step-on-state-roadmap-out-of-covid

 

Sent from iPad. Pls excuse typos.

Covid Cases- Northern Beaches

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919 locally acquired cases of COVID-19 were announced in NSW to 8.00pm last night (Tuesday, 24 August). 178 of these are currently linked to a known case or cluster and 106 were in isolation throughout their infectious period.

The Northern Beaches has 42 active cases, with two new cases recorded.

  • 2104 (Bayview) 1 new case, linked to a known case
  • 2094 (Fairlight) 1 new case, linked to a known case

Since our last report three cases have been removed from the active case list by NSW Health.

  • 2095 (Manly) 1 case no longer active
  • 2085 (Belrose/Davidson) 2 cases no longer active

Two people in NSW died from COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8.00pm last night, neither was from the Northern Beaches. 132 people in NSW have died from COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic.

149,252 people were tested for COVID-19 in NSW yesterday. 2,702 of these tests were conducted on the Northern Beaches.

NSW administered 45,073 vaccines in the 24 hours to 8.00pm last night. 33,576 of these were first doses and 11,497 were second doses. A total of 6,143,824 vaccinations have now been administered in NSW.

www.northernbeachesadvocate.com.au/2021/08/25/where-are-the-cases-33/

 

COVID: New Compliance Rules, Mask Required Outdoors except during Exercise

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In response to the evolving Delta outbreak, NSW will extend the current lockdown in Greater Sydney until the end of September, and introduce new rules targeting the local government areas of concern, where the vast majority of new cases are emerging.

NSW Health and Police have worked together to develop a set of additional COVID controls for the state to reduce transmission and ensure compliance.

Additional rules for the LGAs of concern:

From 12.01am Monday, 23 August the following additional rules will apply for residents and businesses in the LGAs of concern:

  • Curfews will be introduced from 9pm to 5am (except for authorised workers, emergencies or medical care) to help reduce the movement of young people;
  • Outdoor exercise is limited to one hour per day;
  • The following retail premises must close except for click and collect: garden centres and plant nurseries, office supplies, hardware and building supplies, landscaping material supplies, rural supplies, and pet supplies (tradespeople are allowed to shop in-store where relevant); and
  • All exams and other education or professional development related activities will move online, not including the HSC. The government will provide further information on its education plan in due course.

The following new restrictions around workplaces and authorised workers from the LGAs of concern will be introduced:

  • Childcare workers and disability support workers who live or work in the LGAs of concern must have their first vaccination dose by 30 August;
  • Authorised workers who work outside their LGA of concern are only permitted to work if rapid antigen testing is implemented at their work-site or they have had their first vaccination dose by 30 August.
  • From Saturday, 28 August, authorised workers from the LGAs of concern  are required to carry a permit from Service NSW declaring that they are an authorised worker and cannot work from home; and
  • From Saturday, 28 August, anyone entering an LGA of concern for the purposes of work must carry a worker permit issued by Service NSW.

From 12.01am Monday, 23 August, workers from the Canterbury-Bankstown, Cumberland and Fairfield LGAs will no longer have to have been tested for COVID-19 in the previous 72 hours to work outside their LGA.

Special powers will also be given to the NSW Police Force including:

  • Power for the Commissioner of Police to lockdown apartment blocks while health assesses the COVID risk;
  • Power for the Commissioner of Police to declare a residential premise a COVID-risk premise and require all people to present to police during compliance checks;
  • Powers to allow police to direct a person who has been issued with an infringement notice to return to their place of residence; and
  • If a person from outside an LGA of concern is found to be in an LGA of concern without a reasonable excuse, they will be fined $1000 and required to isolate at home for 14 days.

Additional measures for Greater Sydney (including regional NSW until 28 August) 

From 12.01am Monday, 23 August, the following additional rule will also be introduced for Greater Sydney (including regional NSW until 28 August):

  • Mask wearing will be mandatory when outside your home, except when exercising.

There have been a number of cases in Early Childhood Education and Care Services, so parents and carers across the state are strongly encouraged to keep their children at home, unless they need to be at those services.

Read the latest COVID-19 information.

Covid-19 Recovery in Athletes | AskThePro

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What kind of post-viral symptoms can athletes expect following a Covid-19 infection and what are the implications for a return to sport?

As our understanding of Covid-19 has evolved, it has become abundantly apparent that this is a virus that primarily affects the elderly (over 60-70 years of age), and particularly those with underlying serious health conditions, which have been shown to increase the risk of mortality by around 2.5 to 12-fold regardless of age.

By contrast, fit and healthy individuals under the age of 60 years are largely only mildly affected or may not affected at all. For example, the US Center for Disease Control data shows that in the 18-30 age group, the risks associated with Covid-19 are 100 times less than in the 65-75 age group and 600 times less than in the over 85s age group.

POST VIRAL RISKS

Despite the very low risk of serious illness in Covid-19, younger and fitter individuals can of course still contract the illness mildly, and like all viral infections, there exists the risk that post viral effects (‘Long Covid’) may be experienced.

Covid-19Recovery

Source: Sports Performance Bulletin August 2021

Pitfalls of Early Specialisation for Young Athletes | AskThePro

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Are there risks for early specialization in young athletes, and if so, is there a better developmental pathway?

Practice makes perfect – or so they say. However, when it comes to youth sport, can athletes have too much of a good thing?

When high levels of performance in a particular sport are desired, athletes need to spend more time training for that sport. In young athletes,
time constraints (due to the demands of school, exams etc) invariably means focusing or even specializing in that sport to the exclusion of other sports or physical activity pastimes. Indeed, researchers have suggested that the process of specialization is the key mechanism for attaining elite performance in a particular sport, due to the increased volume of time spent in intensive training for that sport.

Source: Sports Performance Bulletin August 2021

EarlySpecialization4YoungAthletes

Sydney’s COVID-19 restrictions: What you can and cannot do from Monday

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Sydneysiders must do their shopping, exercise and outdoor recreation in their local government area or within five kilometres of their home, under new rules to slow the spread of coronavirus coming into effect on Monday.

NSW entered a snap statewide lockdown at 5pm on Saturday after recording 466 new cases of COVID-19, which continues to spread throughout regional areas. There were 415 new cases of COVID-19 reported on Sunday.

From Monday, residents of Greater Sydney (including the Blue Mountains, Central Coast, Wollongong and Shellharbour) are restricted to their local government area for shopping, exercise and outdoor recreation. Those who need to cross into neighbouring local government areas to carry out those essential activities must not travel further than 5km from their home to do so.

Residents in Sydney’s 12 local government areas of concern must still only shop or exercise within five kilometres of home. People in these areas must also wear a mask when they leave home.

Outdoor recreation is no longer an excuse to leave home for residents in those areas, however, they can supervise a child under 12 who is playing or exercising.

The local government areas of concern are Bayside, Blacktown, Burwood, Campbelltown, Canterbury-Bankstown, Cumberland, Fairfield, Georges River, Liverpool, Parramatta, Strathfield, and some suburbs of Penrith.

Sydneysiders who live outside these local government areas can enter those areas if they have a reasonable excuse, such as caring for a vulnerable person or for a co-parenting arrangement.

They cannot enter those local government areas to shop.

People who live outside the areas of concern can still enter those areas for exercise, so long as they are no further than five kilometres from their home.

 
 https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/sydney-s-covid-19-restrictions-what-you-can-and-cannot-do-from-monday-20210815-p58iwf.html

 

Recall of Sunscreens

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New Cancerous Chemical Found in Sunscreen

WEEKS after a popular sunscreen was withdrawn from sale in Australia for containing the cancer-causing chemical benzene, another cancerous chemical has been found.

US chemical testing laboratory Haereticus Environmental Laboratory (HEL) has written to the US medicines regulator the FDA asking it to pull all ~ that contain the active ingredient octocrylene.

The laboratory claims the anti-ageing cream ingredient octocrylene contained in sunscreen degrades into a toxic chemical – benzophenone – a known carcinogen.

In the US. nearly 3000 products contain octocrylene. Brands tested in the scientific research and found to contain the chemical included Coppertone, Banana Boat. Neutrogena, Gamier, LaRoche Neutrogena Sheer Body and L’Oreal Mist Sunscreen Spray SPF

A study published in the journal, Chemical Research Toxicology, found benzophenone concentration in the products quickly increased as the product aged.

In June Australia’s medical the product aged regulator the TGA said its regular safety reviews had not tested sunscreen products for the chemical. On August 2 the regulator said “benzene” had been detected in some batches supplied in Australia.

 Read more — >https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/beauty/anti-aging/a37273260/benzene-in-sunscreen/

Craig Withell
President MLTC

 

Tennis United Competition on Tennis Clash | ATP

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The WTA and ATP are teaming up with Tennis Clash, the world’s most popular tennis game for mobile platforms, developed by Wildlife Studios, to launch a new co-branded in-game tournament, Tennis United. All participating Tennis Clash players will be able to compete in the Tennis United tournament from 19-23 August.

The tournament gives participants the chance to compete, show off their skills and win prizes in a brand-new virtual arena. The event is the latest in a series of co-branded marketing initiatives between the Tours and runs parallel to the 2021 Western & Southern Open, a WTA 1000 and ATP Masters 1000 combined tournament in Cincinnati.

Qualifying rounds of Tennis United will be held from 19-21 August, where players will compete in 10 matches to reach the finals. The top 50% of players in each bracket will advance to the final round which will be held from 21-23 August. Every player who reaches the final round will be awarded an in-game prize. These prizes will become increasingly rare the higher the tier level the players compete in.

WTA: https://www.wtatennis.com/news/2213435/wta-and-atp-join-forces-with-popular-mobile-game-tennis-clash

Sydney Badge – Term 4 Makeup Competition

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Dear Players,

Thank you for your patience in this challenging time. Due to the current lockdown restrictions imposed by the NSW government we have had to make the unfortunate decision to cancel the remainder of the 2021 season.

However, with this decision we are also bringing good news. Tennis NSW will be running an 8 week Badge Competition across Term 4 to make up for the lost weeks. Please see the competition details below. This competition will be free of charge for all 2021 Sydney Badge Teams. This competition is also subject to change pending the public health advice.

Competition details:
Start – Thursday 7th Oct & Sat 9th Oct
Finish – Thursday 25th Nov & Sat 27th Nov
Times remain the same
8 week competition – 7 weeks of play with 1v2 GF
2nd and 4th December to be spare week for washout.

All teams will need to opt into this competition if they wish to play.

[Please advise your MLTC Team Captain or Denis ASAP if you/your team wishes to participate in this Term 4 competition.]

There will be no significant changes in the grading of this new competition. If teams choose not to play and we need to move teams to make even divisions, they will be moved according to current ladder positions from the 2021 season.

Majority of Tennis NSW costs of running the Sydney Badge competition have already been incurred which is why no refunds will be given for the 2021 Badge season and why we a running this Term 4 competition free of charge for the clubs and associations.

Please reach out if you have any questions otherwise we look forward to seeing you all back on the courts after this lockdown!
Kind Regards,
Tennis NSW Competitions