Providing they’re fully vaccinated, Canberrans can now visit an additional 26 locations in southern NSW, as ACT and NSW quarantine requirements and travel restrictions are relaxed.

The capital reported another 20 locally acquired COVID-19 cases on Saturday, its lowest daily count since late September.

Chief Minister Andrew Barr says residents who can verify they’ve had both vaccine jabs can travel to the nominated NSW postcodes without quarantining upon return.

They include Batemans Bay, Goulburn and the state’s Southern Highlands, as well as Jindabyne, Tumut and Cooma in the Snowy Mountains.

“As we have seen throughout this pandemic, travel restrictions are temporary,” Mr Barr told reporters on Saturday.

“As more people get fully vaccinated in regional NSW and the ACT, Canberrans can expect that travel restrictions will be relaxed further.

“This is a balancing act. Canberrans didn’t go through nine weeks of lockdown only to see a spike in cases.”

As of Saturday, the ACT was managing 495 active virus cases. There were 15 patients in Canberra hospitals, 10 of them in ICU.

Nearly 2400 virus tests were conducted across the ACT in the 24 hours to Friday evening.

While it’s likely travel to all of NSW will be possible by November 1, Mr Barr has previously flagged restrictions could be imposed on travelling to localised hotspots. 

“The ACT and NSW are just a few weeks away from very high levels of full vaccination,” Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith said on Saturday.

“But we’re not quite there yet and our public health officials remain concerned about increasing case numbers in some parts of NSW.”

The ACT marked its first full day out of lockdown on Friday, after more than two months of stay at home orders.

Retail will have to wait another fortnight to welcome customers in store, with only click and collect options or booked visits available.

With 80 per cent full vaccination likely, further easing of restrictions is set down for October 29.

AAP

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