Slip, slop, slap. Keys, wallet, phone. Shit, shower, shave. For some reason, the best reminders of everyday routines tend to focus on three easy words. Following in these footsteps, the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) has launched a PSA campaign to help encourage safer behaviours while we’re on a night out in the city.
Check, Check, Check calls for Sydneysiders to check in when they arrive at a venue, check their hands by sanitising or washing them, and check themselves by practicing good social distancing and wearing a mask where appropriate while out enjoying the city. By remembering these three key aspects of going out in 2020, the people of Sydney can help prevent a second wave while still making the most of our vibrant urban culture.
In multiple countries around the world, rolling back lockdown restrictions and reopening the economy has been followed by a surge in new cases. And not unlike the stage four lockdown that Victorians have been under for more than two months, this second wave of infection inevitably forces businesses, particularly those in the hospitality sector, to shut.
While Sydney did see a small yet persistent spike in community transmission between June and September, the state’s contact tracers were able to effectively cut the chains of transmission and suppress the spread of the virus. However, even as a greater degree of normality returns to NSW, health authorities continue to urge caution from the public. Until there is an effective vaccine that can be administered nationwide, the best defence we have against an uncontrolled surge are the health guidelines outlined by the Check, Check, Check campaign.
Chair of the NTIA, Michael Rodrigues, said, "In the same way venues are prepping for customers before they arrive, punters need to establish new rituals when they get to their local. Similar to 'slip, slop, slap' when you're heading out in the sun, it's check in, check your hands, check yourself when you get to a venue."
Minister for jobs, investment and tourism, Stuart Ayres, added, "2020 has changed the world around us. That doesn't mean we can't enjoy our favourite forms of entertainment, but it does mean our behaviours need to adapt to be more COVID safe. The Check, Check, Check campaign is all about reinforcing those new normal behaviours that help reduce the spread of the virus, keeping us safe and allowing us to safely enjoy the things we know and love."