NSW Deputy Premier, John Barilaro.
NSW Deputy Premier, John Barilaro.

‘Cancel your Easter holidays’ is the message sent today by the NSW Government as the efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19 become more stringently enforced.

NSW Deputy Premier, John Barilaro, today urged all residents of the state not to embark on Easter trips to other parts of the state and not to visit regional and rural areas as now was not the right time to be doing so.

“The safest thing you can do right now is stay in your community,” said Barilaro.

“This also applies to people living in regional NSW towns, because the virus does not discriminate and does not care about borders, so now is not the time to travel between towns, whether it be for meetings or even to visit family and friends.”

The Deputy Premier said he was particularly concerned about city residents who might attempt to relocate themselves to regional NSW for a period of time in order to escape quarantine, saying this would be an extremely dangerous move for rural and remote communities.

“I know towns hit hard by the drought and bushfires are relying on holidaymakers to keep people in jobs and put food on the table, but right now health and safety is paramount and lives depend on every single one of us doing our part by staying at home.”