In the Australian state of New South Wales, which also includes the metropolitan city of Sydney, the corona measures will be relaxed from next week.

Sydney has been in lockdown for almost four months due to an outbreak with the Delta variant of the coronavirus. Still, because more than 70 percent of the population has now been fully vaccinated, the authorities see an opportunity to relax the measures.

Fully vaccinated residents of New South Wales will be allowed to gather outside in groups of up to 30 people from Monday; indoors, the number of visitors will be doubled from 5 to 10.

Shops, restaurants, cafes, gyms and hairdressers can open their doors again. Nightclubs may only partially open once 80 percent of the population is fully vaccinated.