Wagga and three other Riverina local government areas have been declared extreme risk zones and removed from the Victorian border bubble as the state prepares to emerge from lockdown.
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Victorian premier Daniel Andrews announced that the southern state's lockdown will lift at 11.59pm on Tuesday night. Just 10 new cases of COVID- were diagnosed in Victoria, he said.
However, the more northern NSW border councils previously included in the border bubble will no longer be part of it.
Instead, the border will tighten and Wagga, Hay, Lockhart and Murrumbidgee council areas have been dumped from the bubble, bringing them in line with the rest of NSW.
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"These local government areas will be included under the Extreme Risk Zone from 11:59pm (Tuesday)," Mr Andrews said.
"If you want to travel to Victoria from those four local government areas, you would need a permit. We're only granting permits for those who are approved workers. And even only then when it is absolutely necessary.
"I take no pleasure in having to essentially lock out those four communities from Victoria, but there's a refusal to lock people in Sydney into Sydney, so I have no choice but to make these changes."
All non-border bubble Riverina residents will now need a specified worker permit, transit permit, or an exemption to enter Victoria.
Mr Andrews also flagged more border changes are in the near future, and that he doesn't want it to get to the point of scrapping the bubble altogether.
"I'm not in a position to announce these today but I'll announce these as soon as we can," he said.
"We have to do everything we can to keep this virus out of our state and it's obviously regrettable that we've had to do that all the way down at the Murray but we'll do what we can."
The announcement came as NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian revealed a sobering 172 new cases of COVID-19 in the state to 8pm Monday night.
Lockdowns and tighter restrictions could be on the way, with 60 of the new cases infectious while in the community.
"We know the strategy of restrictions and vaccinations will be our recipe for freedom," Ms Berejiklian said.
"We have our own course here in NSW and a mission to keep our community safe, but also to make sure we can live life more freely."
Schools in Victoria will reopen for all year levels from Wednesday morning.
Pubs, restaurants and cafes can open with some density limits and community sport will return for practice and competition.
Some restrictions, such as no visitors to private homes, will remain for the next two weeks while masks are still required inside and outside.
Public gatherings will be allowed with up to 10 people and infants under 12 months will not count toward the cap.
More to come
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