Australia Covid live update: NSW announces coronavirus lockdown for Greater Sydney, Blue Mountains, Central Coast and Wollongong from 6pm today

From 6pm, anyone who has been in the greater Sydney, Blue Mountains, Central Coast and Wollongong areas since 21 June should isolate wherever they are for a period of two weeks since they left.

That applies to those who have arrived in Queensland.

The premier said this is to stop the spread of the highly contagious Delta variant.

“As NSW authorities have pointed out, this variant spreads with very little contact,” she said.

“Anyone who has been in these high-risk areas must isolate.

“I must also warn Queenslanders that now is not the time to go to New South Wales.

“I cannot stress that enough.

“We are watching the situation in New South Wales very, very closely.”

Young said the Delta variant is proving to be highly contagious.

“It takes just five seconds for the virus to transfer and what we are seeing in Sydney is that 100% of household contacts exposed without vaccination are infected,” she said.

“It is very important than anyone in those affected areas since June 21 isolate and get tested if they have any symptoms.”