Sydney Under Covid-19

The latest in pandemic fashion.
City pedestrian crossings have become fully automated in order to help stop the spread of Covid-19.
Crowd control outside the Apple Store in Sydney’s central business district. Apple employees and security personnel check customers’ temperatures and provide face masks and hand sanitiser before allowing them into the store.
The interior of the now closed Sir John Young Hotel in the CBD/downtown area of Sydney. The hospitality industry was hit particularly hard during the first lockdown with pubs forced to close their doors, and cafés and restaurants restricted to take-way orders only.
A customer checks into a pub in Marrickville using a QR code. State legislation requires every guest attending a pub, bar, restaurant or cafe to provide certain personal details to facilitate contact tracing.
Masks and hand sanitiser have become a standard part of daily life during the pandemic.
Social distancing rules apply even at playgrounds.
The departures board at Sydney International Airport. Prior to the pandemic, there were about 170 flights per day on average out of Sydney International. The number of flights in and out of Australia has been drastically slashed as a part of the federal government’s response to the global pandemic.
Luggage carousels in the Qantas terminal at Sydney domestic airport. The number of flights within Australia have been massively reduced as various regions in the country do what they can to contain the spread of SARS-CoV-2.
The drive-through testing clinic at Bondi Beach. In an attempt to curb the infection rate, NSW Health in conjunction with local hospitals has set up a number of readily-accessible pop-up testing facilities throughout the state.

Quiet City

As of writing, Sydney hasn’t gone into full lockdown due to Covid-19, but it has become a lot more quiet as many businesses close as a preventative measure. The CBD wasn’t as empty as I was expecting, but it was noticeably less crowded.

20200327_114455_NIKON D7000

Social distancing guidelines on the floor of my local café.

20200327_122000_NIKON D7000

Martin Place at 12:20. Usually a lot busier than this.

20200327_122343_NIKON D7000

Lunchers outside the GPO building in Martin Place.

20200327_124426_NIKON D7000

New measures for pedestrians.

20200327_124608_NIKON D7000

Park and George Streets.

20200327_124845_NIKON D7000

Sydney Town Hall steps. A popular rendezvous point, now virtually empty.

20200327_125906_NIKON D7000

20200327_130149_NIKON D7000

The gates to Chinatown on Dixon Street.

20200327_130212_NIKON D7000

An eerily quiet Dixon Street.

20200327_130330_NIKON D7000

This place usually has a queue of around 15 to 20 people, waiting for cream puffs. Today, only one.

20200327_132457_NIKON D7000

Safe distance.

20200327_133216_NIKON D7000