Lockdown announcement creates havoc in the Murraylands

All South Australians will have to stay at home for six days from midnight tonight.

Lockdown announcement creates havoc in the Murraylands
People line up to get into the Woolworths at Murray Bridge Marketplace at 2pm on Wednesday. Photo: Keren Strathearn.

Pandemonium has erupted at shops around the Murraylands in response to the announcement that South Australia will go into lockdown for the next six days.

Premier Steven Marshall announced the severe restrictions without warning at 12.30pm.

From midnight tonight until next Wednesday:

  • All South Australians will be banned from leaving home except to buy food or medicine
  • Anyone doing so will need to wear a face mask
  • Most businesses, schools and childcare centres will be closed

Only workers in essential industries will be still be allowed to go out.

Schools and childcare facilities will be available only for the children of essential workers.

Who is an essential worker?

According to SA Police, the following industries will be allowed to keep operating during the next six days:

  • Critical infrastructure: power, water and telecommunications
  • Supermarkets, for essential food
  • Bottle shops
  • Medical supplies, medical services and vets
  • Public transport, airports and essential freight
  • Petrol stations
  • Post offices and banking institutions
  • Schools and childcare centres, for children of essential workers
  • Essential agriculture
  • Factories, for essential machinery upkeep and production of essential products
  • Mining and smelting, where continuity of production is essential or needed to prevent equipment damage

Looking for face masks?

By 2pm, despite the fact supermarkets will remain open, dozens of people were already lining up just to get into the Woolworths supermarket at Murray Bridge Marketplace.

Most retailers have reportedly sold out of face masks already.

One place where supplies are good is Bridge Dental, the main-street dentist, which has a mask-making machine.

A staff member told Murray Bridge News the clinic would have 50-packs of grade-three surgical masks available for purchase until 9pm on Wednesday night.

However, anyone experiencing symptoms associated with COVID-19 should stay at home, and should seek testing by contacting the nearest clinic.

Police Commissioner Grant Stevens said this afternoon that police could be deployed to supermarkets to keep the peace.

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