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What a difference a week makes: Packed Sydney shopping centres empty out as coronavirus fears grip the city - after malls were full with festive crowds just days ago

Sydney's malls and shopping centres have become ghost towns on Monday amid a coronavirus outbreak in the city's north, after being packed to the brim with festive customers out doing their Christmas shopping just a few days ago. 

Retailers had been looking forward to seeing a surge in sales over the Christmas holidays and were hoping to make up some of their losses after a difficult year dealing with travel and lockdown restrictions. 

On Monday, NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian announced 15 new locally-acquired COVID-19 cases associated with a cluster in the Northern Beaches which has reached 83 cases. 

Pitt Street Mall in Sydney on Monday (pictured) was a ghost town compared to just a few days ago when it was packed for Thursday late night shopping

Pitt Street Mall in Sydney on Monday was a ghost town compared to just a few days ago when it was packed for Thursday late night shopping 

On Monday the normally packed street outside David Jones (pictured) was empty with no sign of Christmas rush

On Monday the normally packed street outside David Jones was empty with no sign of Christmas rush 

Just a few days ago on Friday (pictured) the Sydney CBD was awash with festive shoppers getting their Christmas presents

Just a few days ago on Friday the Sydney CBD was awash with festive shoppers getting their Christmas presents 

The Queens Victoria Building last week (pictured)The Queen Victoria Building on Monday (pictured)

The Queen Victoria Building in Sydney pictured last week and on Monday shows the dramatic drop in shoppers 

Australians are expected to spend $52billion this Christmas, but where that money is spent is an all important factor - whether that be online or in domestic brick-and-mortar stores could mean the next few weeks are make or break for many businesses. 

'There have been winners and losers. If you are in household goods, people are staying at home so sales are up. Clothing, footwear and these areas are doing it tough because people have no need to get dressed up, they have nowhere go to,' Paul Zahra, CEO Australian Retailers Association, told the ABC. 

'According to all surveys consumer confidence is definitely up I think people are looking at the rest of the world and feeling confident about the situation in Australia.' 

Mr Zahra added that the renewed COVID-19 outbreak on the Northern Beaches had business owners, especially in Sydney, watching the situation closely.  

'Yes, we have a close watch on what is happening in those locations, all retailers have strengthened their COVID safety plans to make sure they have increased staffing, security to manage crowds, to make sure the people are shopping in a very COVID safe way, and the mask wearing in those locations becomes very important.' 

Pitt Street Mall on Monday had just a few people browsing the shops (pictured) a far cry from last week

Pitt Street Mall on Monday had just a few people browsing the shops a far cry from last week 

Three shoppers wearing face masks in Pitt Street Mall, Sydney on Monday (pictured)

Three shoppers wearing face masks in Pitt Street Mall, Sydney on Monday  

The usually packed Bondi Junction mall on Monday (pictured) had surprisingly few people in the lead-up to Christmas amid a renewed outbreak of COVID-19 on the Northern Beaches

The usually packed Bondi Junction mall on Monday had surprisingly few people in the lead-up to Christmas amid a renewed outbreak of COVID-19 on the Northern Beaches 

Shoppers wearing masks in the Sydney CBD on Monday as they do some Christmas gist shopping (pictured)Shoppers wearing masks in the Sydney CBD on Monday as they do some Christmas gist shopping (pictured)

Shoppers wearing masks in the Sydney CBD on Monday as they do some Christmas gift shopping  

'It is a little early to say, but shoppers in those areas particularly are quite nervous, and they have been much more purposeful in their shopping, going in with a list getting what they need and going home, wearing a mask.' 

He also said both Melbourne and Sydney CBDs have seen a dramatic drop in revenue over 2020 - which many business owners had just seen start to recover.  

'City locations around those two states rely on people working in the CBD and on international tourists, but with those borders being down that has impacted those states significantly. The other states do not see the international tourist that Sydney and Melbourne see. And we have the added issue of the extended lockdown.'

Mr Zahra said the pandemic has increased the trend of people going online to shop - which has surged to 10 per cent of retail sales and is fast approaching 20 per cent. 

He said people should feel comfortable shopping anyway they chose but should try to support local business and local jobs wherever possible. 

Pitt Street Mall in Sydney last week (pictured) was bustling with festive shoppers relieved to be out after a year of inconsistent lockdown

Pitt Street Mall in Sydney last week was bustling with festive shoppers relieved to be out after a year of inconsistent lockdown 

The Westfield mall at Pitt Street in the centre of Sydney last week had lines of eager Christmas shoppers looking to spend up big (pictured)

The Westfield mall at Pitt Street in the centre of Sydney last week had lines of eager Christmas shoppers looking to spend up big  

Bondi Junction on Monday (pictured) was eerily quiet considering there is just a week until Christmas 2020 - making it usually a peak shopping period.

Bondi Junction on Monday was eerily quiet considering there is just a week until Christmas 2020 - making it usually a peak shopping period.

Residents of NSW now face restrictions entering every other state and territory after the cluster centred on Avalon reached at least 68 community-based infections.

People planning to travel to NSW to visit friends and family for Christmas have had their plans dashed, with restrictions on Sydneysiders entering every state.

Health authorities say the next 48 hours will be critical after the NSW government locked down the northern beaches until midnight on Wednesday and resurrected a small set of restrictions for Greater Sydney to contain the spread.

Former federal health department secretary and chair of the global Coalition of Epidemic Preparedness Jane Halton says NSW made the right choice to 'go hard, go early, go household'.

But it could get worse before it gets better.

'If they discover it leaked into other places I have no doubt they will apply further restrictions and that is what they should do,' Ms Halton told Nine's Today program on Monday.

'This is why they are asking people to be cautious to not go out, to limit the number of people and gatherings.'

The virus count prompted Western Australia to reimpose a hard border with NSW on Saturday.

People travelling from greater Sydney and the Central Coast will not be able to enter other states from Monday.

If they do, they will have to undergo 14 days of hotel quarantine in most states, or quarantine at home in South Australia and the ACT.

Only those from Greater Sydney will have to quarantine for two weeks on arrival in Tasmania.

Greater Sydney stretches from the Hawkesbury, Hornsby and the northern beaches regions in the north, to the Blue Mountains in the west, and the Wollondilly, Campbelltown and Sutherland regions in the south.

Travellers from the Wollongong local government area also cannot enter South Australia, while the Northern Territory, ACT, and Queensland have barred the entire Illawarra/Shoalhaven region.

There is a 24-hour grace period for Queensland and Victorian residents returning home, with authorities allowing them to quarantine inside their own houses.

People walk through the Sydney CBD on Monday as the State Theatre displays a Christmas greeting (pictured)

People walk through the Sydney CBD on Monday as the State Theatre displays a Christmas greeting  

Acting National Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly on Sunday defended the way states and territories responded in restricting interstate travel.

'It's unfortunate that this is happening but we need to put safety and health concerns at the forefront,' he said.

'Those on the northern beaches of Sydney, my heart goes out to you. This is a tricky time in the lead-up to Christmas but please stay the course.'

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the situation would be 'incredibly upsetting and frustrating' for those who planned to travel interstate.

'At the same time, these precautions are going to be necessary to avoid something worse. So we're just going to have to push through ... 2020 isn't done with us yet,' Mr Morrison told Triple M Radio on Monday.

'Signs are looking a little better, but let's see what the next few days bring.' 

A pair of shoppers wearing masks on Monday (pictured) in the Sydney CBD amid a coronavirus cluster being closely watched on the Northern Beaches

A pair of shoppers wearing masks on Monday in the Sydney CBD amid a coronavirus cluster being closely watched on the Northern Beaches 

The Sydney CBD on Thursday was awash with happy shoppers looking forward to the Christmas season (pictured)

The Sydney CBD on Thursday was awash with happy shoppers looking forward to the Christmas season  

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