ORANGE and Cabonne Councils have added libraries, museums, galleries, community centres and halls to the list of closed services in the wake of tightening restrictions due to coronavirus.
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Orange council has now closed the following:
- Orange City Library
- Orange Regional Museum
- Orange Regional Gallery
- Orange Civic Theatre
- Glenroi Community Centre
- Visitor Information Centre
- Orange Aquatic Centre
- Senior Citizens Centre
- Bowen 'Carriage Cottage' Community Centre
- Community halls including Spring Hill and Lucknow
Cabonne Council, meanwhile, closed its libraries and the Age of Fishes Museum at Canowindra, while the community shopping bus service and private skip bin service have been suspended until further notice.
Cabonne Mayor Kevin Beatty appealed to residents to show respect to each other and stressed the need to work together.
"While Cabonne and central NSW may seem relatively isolated from areas with the largest number of cases, the best way to manage this outbreak is to assume the virus is already in the community and therefore follow all the advice from health authorities by staying at home as much as possible and restricting any travel to essential purposes," he said.
"NSW Health has advised it is safe to assume that in coming weeks coronavirus will affect all regional areas - people have to change their normal way of life and make sure they strictly observe all the federal and state government guidelines."
Orange council chief executive officer David Waddell said the best guidance at the moment was to follow health authorities' advice.
"Wash your hands regularly and reduce your contact with other people. Self-isolate if you have travelled overseas in the last 14 days or have been in close contact with a person who has tested positive to the COVID-19 infection," he said.
Both councils have encouraged staff to work from home, while Cabonne has divided executive staff between offices in Molong and Cudal to minimise the spread of the virus.
Essential services will be maintained, but Cabonne has indicated crews might have to reduce their workloads to urgent repairs.
Meals on Wheels is continuing.
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