Southern Highlands Division of General Practice spokesman Dr Vince Roche said that "if we are indoors and close to one another, that is the major risk."

"Most of the recent NSW hotspots were at pubs, clubs, restaurants, churches, funerals and gyms," he said.

Dr Roche was please to note that no more new cases had been recorded in the Southern Highlands "with still only one recognised case in our population of 45,000 recorded more than three weeks ago."

"The nearest new cases are in 2571 - Picton, Couridjah, Wilton, Razorback, Mowbray Park, Maldon, Balmoral, Buxton - but none since July 19, at the time of the Cross Roads break out," he said.

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Dr Roche said it was good that the panic was settling, but we needed to remember that the risk has not passed.

"Local doctors are worried that Highlands residents and particularly Highlands weekend visitors are still too relaxed - given what is happening in Victoria and in some parts of Sydney," he said.

"It seems hard to get the social settings just right and in an infection risk environment that keeps changing.

"Younger adults in particular seem to be more often ignoring the recommended safety measures, despite the statistics that show that 25 per cent of infections in NSW are in the under 30 age group, 43 per cent are in the 30-60 age group and 31 per cent are over 60."

Dr Roche said the big topic this week was clearly whether to mask or not to mask.

"Masks are mandated in both hospitals and staff in nursing homes - virtually no relatives are being allowed into nursing homes by a federal order," he said.

"The evidence so far suggests that we are relatively unlikely to contract COVID-19 in an outdoor environment, where we physically distance from one another.

"If we are indoors and close to one another - that is the major risk - most of our recent NSW hotspots were at pubs, clubs, restaurants, churches, funerals and gyms.

"So our recommendations are to wear masks when indoor close to other people - shopping, going to the doctor, hairdresser, nail technicians, public transport etc.

"So what should we do? It's simple really."

For the general population, the advice is:

If you have any symptoms (fever, dry cough, unexplained tiredness, aches and pains, diarrhoea, sore throat, conjunctivitis, gut symptoms, a loss of taste or smell), please get tested at the Bowral Hospital Flu Assessment Clinic or the General Practice Respiratory Clinic at Mittagong.

If you are in a shop, bar, coffee shop or restaurant where physical distancing is not happening - speak up, as the standard you walk past is the standard you accept - or leave the place.

The economic and social recovery is not worth dying for. And when you are in a bar/restaurant or coffee shop, please fill in the log to register your presence.

The Bowral Hospital Flu Assessment Clinic continues to operate seven days a week out of the hospital's outpatient department.

This is planned to continue for several more months.

Hours of Business:

Weekdays - 8am to 6pm.

Weekends - 8am to 6pm

Phone number - 4861 014

People do not require a referral from their GP to attend the BDH Flu Assessment Clinic.

The direct phone number for the flu clinic is 4861 0145 and enquiries will be answered during hours of operation only.

If you have any respiratory symptoms - even if you think it is just a cold, please get tested.

You need to call the Clinic on 4861 0145 to organise your time to come to the clinic.

Results are available about 24-48 hours after testing.

The Commonwealth-funded General Practice Respiratory Clinic is located in the lower level of Mittagong HealthCare Centre, 58 Bowral Road, Mittagong.

It is open 9am to 5pm seven days a week.

The clinics are designed to assess patients with mild-to-moderate respiratory symptoms including fever, sore throat, cough, tiredness and shortness of breath.

Regardless of whether COVID-19 testing is indicated, or a specimen is taken, the patient will receive clinical guidance about managing their respiratory symptoms through the clinic.

Patients must have an appointment before attending the clinic.

Patients can make an appointment online via HotDoc and there will be no charge to the patient.

To set up an appointment, patients can also phone the clinic directly for triage, call HealthDirect or be referred by their GP.

Referring GPs will receive a copy of the pathology results.

Results are available about 24-48 hours after testing.

Remember - any symptoms - get you or your children tested!

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