Member for Orange Philip Donato MP today, Tuesday July 27, expressed his appreciation to the community for their patience and cooperation in response to the sudden and unexpected stay-at-home health order issued by the NSW Health Minister in response to a positive local COVID-19 case a week ago.
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"I'm pleased to confirm that the current stay-at-home order for the communities of each the Orange, Blayney and Cabonne Local Government Areas will cease at midnight tonight," Mr Donato said.
"The sudden and unexpected health order, which was imposed by the NSW Government in response to the locally acquired Deltra-strain COVID-19 incident, without warning impacted our day-to-day lives here in the Central West.
"This precautionary measure was to prevent our country communities from experiencing the situation we've seen unfold in Sydney, where a delayed and passive response to an initial breakout of Delta is still yet to be harnessed five weeks into the State capital's health crisis.
"I want to congratulate the communities of each the Orange, Cabonne and Blayney Local Government areas for cooperating with the health order, and I wish to extend my appreciation for their patience and understanding," Mr Donato said.
"I realise many local businesses and workers have suffered a financial impact, though that impact may have been more substantial if COVID were to spread, such as we've seen in Sydney.
"The past week has been disruptive to our lives, but the most minor-level lock-down was at the time a reasonable step to take so as to avoid the potential for an outbreak which our local health services may have struggled to cope with," Mr Donato said.
"10,000 plus local COVID tests have been undertaken, in addition to the sewerage testing, which have all returned negative tests.
"I would also like to thank those essential workers who kept the lights on, and all those who facilitated the COVID testing sites and subsequent pathology testing.
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"While we may have evaded a local outbrerak on this occasion, it's important we not become complacent, and maintain our proactive regime of QR check-ins, social distancing, wearing masks and sanitising.
"Let's get back to pre-lock-down life, in what is easily the best place in our state to live," Mr Donato said.
