Wagga families will be coming together as planned on Christmas Day, with regional NSW escaping Christmas restrictions placed on Sydney families.
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While those in the capital can have just 10 adults and their children over for Christmas, the Riverina has seen no change with residents able to host up to 50 people at once.
It comes as NSW announced eight new local cases to 8pm December 22.
Increased testing at Gundagai following news a confirmed case stopped at a highway food outlet last week saw over 100 people tested in the first day, with all tests so far returning negative results.
A public health alert remains in place for anyone who visited Oliver's Real Food Gundagai on Friday December 18 from 5.30pm to 6.05pm, with patrons required to get tested and isolate until they receive a negative result.
While the Riverina has avoided additional restrictions over Christmas, the community is still encouraged to stay vigilant with hygiene and social distancing.
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NSW Health advice recommends those over 70 or with pre-existing medical conditions should limit the number of people they visit or host and remain cautious.
Outdoor gatherings are considered preferable for Christmas gatherings, with households without outdoor areas urged to restrict guests to no more than 30.
A Murrumbidgee Local Health District (MLHD) spokesperson reminded the community that anyone with virus symptoms, however mild, should self isolate immediately and seek testing rather than risk attending a family event.
Families should bring hand sanitiser to events and wash their hands regularly, as well as avoiding sharing cutlery with people they do not live with.
Maintaining a 1.5 metre distance from those from other households is still recommended.
Those hosting or visiting interstate family are still able to do so for all states other than WA without quarantine, and there is no ban on travel to and from Sydney except to the Northern Beaches.
Residents in the southern end of the Northern Beaches will be able to host a small number of guests from Christmas Eve through to Boxing Day, however they will be unable to leave the area themselves.
However, the MLHD has urged residents to reconsider travel to and from Sydney, citing the possibility of further spread of coronavirus putting people at risk of contracting the virus or being put in post-Christmas isolation.
An Edward Street motelier said most of their bookings had "disappeared" over the weekend from a combination of interstate and Sydney visitors as soon as the borders began closing to parts of the state, despite most travel in and out of Wagga remaining legal.