The ACT's decision to ban travellers from parts of New South Wales just days before Christmas was, like many other steps taken by governments in the last year, unprecedented.
ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr has long made it clear that a hard border with the territory's neighbouring state is out of the question.
But a ban on open travel between Canberra and Greater Sydney was a significant step — one that went on to cause some chaos as holidaymakers attempted to either return home or pay a visit to the nation's capital.
In the days after the travel restrictions were introduced, motorists queued for hours on the Federal Highway to return after Christmas as police monitored who was entering the ACT.
Traffic heading the other way was reduced, as many Canberrans opted to remain home or were unwillingly separated from loved ones over the holiday period.
For others, like Elizabeth Underwood, who could not bear the thought of spending Christmas without friends and family, the restrictions on Sydney travel meant she had to do some careful planning to ensure she could undergo a 14-day isolation period upon her return.
"I didn't want to be here for Christmas alone, so I made the decision to go to Sydney knowing that I would have to come back and quarantine but hoping that the rules would change," she said.
Yesterday afternoon, that ban lifted for some areas of NSW, previously considered hotspots, freeing almost 2,000 people from their quarantine requirements.
Ms Underwood spent 11 days in self-isolation at home before the ACT Government lifted restrictions.
"My family made me frozen meals. I bought a lot of puzzles, a lot of books. I drew myself up a life admin list," she said.
"And not being able to see people and just being isolated."
When she first heard the news, Ms Underwood said she did not believe it — her ordeal was over. And in hindsight, she realised she could have spent longer with her family while still making it back to Canberra in time for work.
"All in all there was nothing I could have done about it and everyone's done their best."
ACT remains free of known cases after anxious holiday period
After a Christmas period in which health authorities anxiously monitored outbreaks in the northern beaches, the inner west and Melbourne, Canberra remains free of known COVID-19 cases.
In those weeks, about 8,000 people entered quarantine, either at home or in a hotel.
On Monday, 5,000 people who had returned from Greater Brisbane were freed from that health order.
Yesterday, 1,800 people were told they were able to move about freely when the restriction lifted at 3:00pm.
Only about 700 people still remain in quarantine — those who returned from 11 specific local government areas:
- Northern Beaches
- Blacktown
- Burwood
- Canada Bay
- Canterbury-Bankstown
- Cumberland
- Fairfield
- Inner West
- Liverpool
- Paramatta
- Strathfield
Mr Barr said it was a positive sign to have many health directions lift, but warned Canberrans not to become complacent.
"It's not a sign that we can all collectively drop our guard to the virus," he said.
He defended ACT Health's decisions to date, including the last-minute ban on parts of NSW in the days before Christmas.
Ms Underwood said that ultimately she was happy to follow the health directions.
"So although it's really frustrating having to come back and quarantine and frustrating that I can't see my family and friends, all in all I think that it's definitely been done for a good reason and we're all reaping the benefits."
