Locked down residents and business owners in Sydney’s Covid epicentre in the city’s southwest are feeling confused and isolated – as they desperately try to keep up with constantly changing health advice.
For some, a language barrier is hindering their ability to absorb the information from press releases and conferences.
But even those who speak English as a first language are finding themselves out of the loop.
Several small business owners from Liverpool to Green Valley and Edmonson Park said they’ve got no reason not to do as they’re told, but by the time they implement one rule, it’s outdated and new advice is in place.
‘We’re busy, you know,’ the owner of a small local restaurant now operating takeaway only said. ‘We’re stressed and trying to feed our families and speak with our staff, but then it changes again.’
While most streets in the heart of Liverpool were deserted on Tuesday, residents milled out the front of a busy pharmacy as chemists brought their medication out to them (pictured)
On Tuesday, locals milled out the front of medical centres and chemists as they waited to be served
Locals, particularly those who are still essential workers, say they don’t have the time to sit through daily press conferences which often stretch beyond an hour to keep up with the new rules.
Many townspeople feel they’ve been unfairly targeted and blamed for how far and wide the highly-infectious Delta variant has spread throughout the community.
They’re wary of being caught out making a mistake and then facing public persecution, so many spoke on the condition of anonymity.
Sam, who owns a restaurant in Edensor Park, said most people he has spoken to enduring the tough lockdown feel ‘frozen in time’.
‘We’re frozen right now,’ he said. ‘We can’t plan for tomorrow. We can’t even think about tomorrow. We just can’t see the future.’
The Liverpool Westfield remains open due to the grocery stores, liquor stores and tobacconists inside, however non essential stores remain closed for all but click-and-collect (pictured)
Many townspeople feel they’ve been unfairly targeted and blamed for how far and wide the highly-infectious Delta variant has spread throughout the community
They’re wary of being caught out making a mistake and then facing public persecution, so many spoke on the condition of anonymity
He said that as a small business owner, he had dreams and had set goals for the remainder of this year which have now gone out the window.
‘Now I feel like I just have to hold my breath. We’re all holding our breath and waiting to see what happens.’
Another man, who owns a phone repair store inside the Liverpool Westfield, said his work had almost entirely dried up in the days since Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced conflicting rules about who would be deemed essential.
‘On Saturday, not essential,’ he said. ‘I thought I would have to close. But then on Sunday, I thought they said I could open again. It’s taken me a while to get my head around it,’ he admitted.
But being technically open has done little good for his business.
‘Look around, this is it,’ he said, pointing toward the back of his empty store.
A police officer pulled a car over to perform a compliance check on the main street in Liverpool on Tuesday afternoon, however there were very few police in the streets following their blitz last week
One man, who owns a phone repair store inside the Liverpool Westfield (pictured), said his work had almost entirely dried up in the days since Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced conflicting rules about who would be deemed essential
Locals say they’re doing their best to comply with the ever changing health advice and Covid restrictions
The Westfield itself remains open given there are grocery stores, tobacconists, fruit markets and liquor stores inside that are all considered essential. But very few people passed through on Tuesday, and those who did made a beeline straight for the Woolworths.
The shop attendant said despite how empty it is, he’ll remain open.
‘Because I’m essential,’ he said when asked why. ‘I need to be here to provide a service, just in case anybody needs me.’
Ms Berejiklian introduced particularly tough restrictions on residents in the LGAs of Fairfield, Liverpool and Canterbury on Saturday.
The 810,000 people living in those regions were initially told they cannot leave their suburbs even for work unless they’re employed in healthcare, aged care or emergency services until at least July 30.
The McDonalds inside the Westfield shopping centre was busy as customers waited to receive their orders
Health workers were pictured wearing their face masks as they walked back to the hospital on Tuesday afternoon
Most streets were deserted other than the main strip of essential services, including chemists, fruit markets, Australia Post and the bank
Any essential employees who are permitted to leave their suburbs for work are subject to the same restrictions previously in place, namely receiving a negative Covid test every three days.
‘I can’t remember a time when our state has been challenged to such an extent,’ Ms Berejiklian said.
‘Not a single one of these decisions was taken lightly.’
The announcement sparked frenzied calls to authorities and confusion over other industries which have otherwise been deemed essential.
In response, Ms Berejiklian’s team amended the criteria late on Saturday night, extending the parameters to include people working at garden centres, bottle shops and factories.
Delivery drivers, and people who work at supermarkets, newsagents or are required to maintain utilities like gas, electricity, waste management or water are also permitted to leave their locked-down suburbs for work.
The ever changing rules reportedly also caught out two Covid-infected removalists from Green Valley in the southwest.
Pictured: Roni (left) and Ramsen (right) Shawka, who lost their mother on Monday morning after she died from Covid-19 – days after they were accused of driving around regional NSW despite being told they had tested positive to the virus
Residents were out in full force to do their grocery shopping at the local fruit market in Liverpool
The twin 27-year-old brothers, Roni and Ramsen Shawka, were charged with breaching public health orders and face potential fines of $11,000 and six months imprisonment after they travelled to regional NSW for a job while infected.
But Roni and his boss, Amin Yousef, blamed their poor English skills for what they said was an unfortunate misunderstanding.
On Monday, their 54-year-old mother, Saeeda, died after she also contracted the virus.
But neighbours said the family had only recently moved to Australia from Iraq and certainly wouldn’t have been abreast of the latest health advice.
‘They were friendly, they said hello but not much else. They can’t really understand at all,’ one neighbour said.
‘They wouldn’t have broken the rules on purpose. They’re good people, hardworking. If they knew they were doing the wrong thing, they would have come home.’
Pictured: Ramsen (left) and his twin brother Roni with their partners at an event. Both men have Covid-19 and are accused of travelling through regional NSW despite being aware of that