How the 'singles bubble' for locked down Sydneysiders could be completely overhauled with loopholes shut and people forced to REGISTER their companion
Sydneysiders eligible for the 'singles bubble' could soon be forced to register their companions online as police move to close Covid restriction loopholes.
Under the current rules, singles in Sydney who live alone are allowed to host one person in their home.
They must both live within the same LGA and the single person can only reciprocate the visit if their companion also lives alone.
Sydneysiders eligible for the 'singles bubble' could soon be forced to register their companions online as police crackdown on restrictions in attempts to contain the deadly virus (pictured residents in Sydney)
The New South Wales government is now expected to announce changes to the bubble, which was first introduced on July 28.
The changes could mean singles will have to register their companions through NSW Service, making it easier for police to carry out compliance checks.
Singles are also allowed to have intimate partners visit but this will also likely be modified so only one person is visiting an individual.
The potential changes were being discussed during a crisis cabinet meeting on Friday afternoon.
It comes as the state grapples to deal with the latest outbreak of the Delta variant with a record 390 Covid-19 infections announced on Friday.
Under the current Covid restrictions, those who live alone are allowed to nominate one person only who can visit them at their home
Of the new cases, at least 60 were infectious while in the community with 250 infections not yet linked to a known source.
Two deaths were also recorded, one an unvaccinated woman in her 40s who died at her home in south-west Sydney and a vaccinated man in his late 90s who died while receiving palliative care at RFBI Hawkins Masonic Retirement Village in Edgeworth.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian warned figures were likely to soar above the record new cases announced on Friday - raising doubts the city would be freed from lockdown on August 28 as planned.
She remained firm that at least 50 per cent of the state had to be vaccinated before she considered rolling back restrictions - and even then they would only be eased gradually.
So far, just 24.4 per cent of people in NSW are fully vaccinated and close to three million people still need to get a second Covid vaccine shot for 70 per cent of the population, aged 16 and over, to be properly protected.
NSW Police have requested an extra 500 military personnel to help police enforce home-quarantine orders.
Authorities on Thursday said extra unarmed defence personnel may be called in to patrol the city's worst-affected suburbs as movement restrictions were tightened for residents in three more local council areas - Strathfield, Burwood and Bayside.
Sixty-five new venues have also been added to the state's ever-growing exposure list and include Bunnings, butchers and restaurants.
Rules regarding the singles bubble is expected to come into effect soon as Sydney continues to tally up record number of Covid cases
Western Sydney and south-western Sydney remain the biggest places of concern despite case numbers recently stabilising in the area.
'But the health experts have asked me to highlight Blacktown and Mount Druitt as areas of concern, and adjoining areas,' Ms Berejiklian said.
'We are really wanting to make sure that people living in Blacktown and Mount Druitt and those adjoining suburbs come forward for testing and stay home.'
Dubbo, in central west NSW, has also been flagged as an area of concern with 25 new cases linked to the region.
Another five cases were linked to the Hunter region while no new cases were reported in the Tamworth, Armidale and Northern Rivers regions.
Ms Berejiklian would not confirm whether hardline restrictions would be extended to the South Coast and Queanbeyan after the nearby ACT was plunged into lockdown.
'If we need to do anything as a pre-emptive move, similar to what we have done in other parts of the state, we will,' she said.
A staggering 128,000 coronavirus tests were conducted in the last 24 hours.
There are currently 391 patients in hospital, with 63 people in intensive care, 30 of whom require ventilation.
The crackdown comes as the state grapples to deal with the latest outbreak of the Delta variant with a record 390 Covid-19 infections announced on Friday (pictured police speaking to residents in Bondi)