Coronavirus Sydney

Singing and dancing will resume in nightclubs in Sydney and Melbourne from Friday, while most mandatory check-ins have been scrapped as officials lifted nearly all COVID-19 curbs in Australia's biggest cities amid a steady fall in hospital cases.

Australia's New South Wales state will reinstate restrictions including shutting nightclubs and cancelling non-urgent surgeries because of record coronavirus infections, the Sydney Morning Herald reported on Friday.

Sydney, the Australian city worst-affected by the Omicron wave, will press ahead with New Year's Eve celebrations on Friday, with authorities encouraging revellers to come out and enjoy the festivities despite a record number of COVID-19 cases.

Australian officials on Sunday said there was no need to clamp down on Christmas festivities even as new COVID-19 infections climbed in Sydney, with the country's high vaccination rate helping keep people out of hospital.

Five people in Sydney, Australia's largest city, have contracted the omicron variant of the coronavirus locally, New South Wales health authorities confirmed.

Health officials in Australia's Sydney have begun urgent testing after two people who arrived on a flight from southern Africa overnight tested positive to the coronavirus, raising concerns that a newly detected strain has arrived in the country.

Australia began administering booster shots of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine on Monday as millions of people in its largest city, Sydney, woke up to more freedom amid an accelerating immunisation drive.

Australia's largest city of Sydney will further ease social distancing curbs on Monday, a month after emerging from a coronavirus lockdown that lasted nearly 100 days, as close to 90 per cent of people have got both doses of vaccine.

Australia's biggest city will lift more COVID-19 curbs for vaccinated residents ahead of schedule next week, while delaying freedoms it has promised for unvaccinated Sydneysiders as officials aim to boost inoculations.

Thousands of children returned to Sydney's schools on Monday after nearly four months of home learning as Australia's largest city eased more restrictions just a week after lifting its COVID-19 lockdown amid a surge in vaccination levels.

Sydney will allow in fully vaccinated travellers from overseas from Nov. 1 without the need for quarantine, the country's most populous state said on Friday, although the easing of strict entry controls will initially benefit only citizens.

Elated Sydneysiders celebrated the end of almost four months of coronavirus lockdown on Monday, putting behind them a period of "blood, sweat and no beers" in Australia's largest city.

Sydney's cafes, gyms and restaurants welcomed back fully vaccinated customers on Monday after nearly four months of lockdown, as Australia aims to begin living with the coronavirus and gradually reopen with high rates of inoculation.

Elated Sydneysiders were emerging from almost four months of "blood, sweat and no beers" early Monday as a long coronavirus lockdown was lifted in Australia's largest city.

Australian doctors warned a too-rapid easing of COVID-19 curbs in Sydney could put pressure on health systems and risk lives, as the city prepares for key restrictions to be lifted next week after more than 100 days in lockdown.

Singing and dancing will resume in nightclubs in Sydney and Melbourne from Friday, while most mandatory check-ins have been scrapped as officials lifted nearly all COVID-19 curbs in Australia's biggest cities amid a steady fall in hospital cases.

Australia's New South Wales state will reinstate restrictions including shutting nightclubs and cancelling non-urgent surgeries because of record coronavirus infections, the Sydney Morning Herald reported on Friday.

Sydney, the Australian city worst-affected by the Omicron wave, will press ahead with New Year's Eve celebrations on Friday, with authorities encouraging revellers to come out and enjoy the festivities despite a record number of COVID-19 cases.

Australian officials on Sunday said there was no need to clamp down on Christmas festivities even as new COVID-19 infections climbed in Sydney, with the country's high vaccination rate helping keep people out of hospital.

Five people in Sydney, Australia's largest city, have contracted the omicron variant of the coronavirus locally, New South Wales health authorities confirmed.

Health officials in Australia's Sydney have begun urgent testing after two people who arrived on a flight from southern Africa overnight tested positive to the coronavirus, raising concerns that a newly detected strain has arrived in the country.

Australia began administering booster shots of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine on Monday as millions of people in its largest city, Sydney, woke up to more freedom amid an accelerating immunisation drive.

Australia's largest city of Sydney will further ease social distancing curbs on Monday, a month after emerging from a coronavirus lockdown that lasted nearly 100 days, as close to 90 per cent of people have got both doses of vaccine.

Australia's biggest city will lift more COVID-19 curbs for vaccinated residents ahead of schedule next week, while delaying freedoms it has promised for unvaccinated Sydneysiders as officials aim to boost inoculations.

Thousands of children returned to Sydney's schools on Monday after nearly four months of home learning as Australia's largest city eased more restrictions just a week after lifting its COVID-19 lockdown amid a surge in vaccination levels.

Sydney will allow in fully vaccinated travellers from overseas from Nov. 1 without the need for quarantine, the country's most populous state said on Friday, although the easing of strict entry controls will initially benefit only citizens.

Elated Sydneysiders celebrated the end of almost four months of coronavirus lockdown on Monday, putting behind them a period of "blood, sweat and no beers" in Australia's largest city.

Sydney's cafes, gyms and restaurants welcomed back fully vaccinated customers on Monday after nearly four months of lockdown, as Australia aims to begin living with the coronavirus and gradually reopen with high rates of inoculation.

Elated Sydneysiders were emerging from almost four months of "blood, sweat and no beers" early Monday as a long coronavirus lockdown was lifted in Australia's largest city.

Australian doctors warned a too-rapid easing of COVID-19 curbs in Sydney could put pressure on health systems and risk lives, as the city prepares for key restrictions to be lifted next week after more than 100 days in lockdown.