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Orange Mayor Reg Kidd has expressed his condolences following the first death of a person at the Orange Health Service as a result of COVID 19.

“On behalf of the Orange community, I’d like to assure this family that the thoughts of the Orange community are with them,” Cr Reg Kidd said.

“While a death in any family is always a difficult time, this latest news makes the gravity of the situation very clear for the people of Orange. This personal tragedy brings home to the whole Orange community, the reality of what we’re all dealing with.”

“Any doubts that Orange residents had about how serious this crisis could be should now be gone. We as a community know what we need to do. While the government will deliver the regulations, the orders and the health services, it is the community that can deliver the outcome. The best advice we can give is to listen the experts and the authorities.”

Orange City Council CEO David Waddell said the health authorities had made it clear what is required to get through this.

“We have been lending Council’s voice to these messages and we do so again today. It has never been clearer that this is not a problem for someone else, somewhere else,” Mr Waddell said. “The advice from both the NSW and Commonwealth governments is straightforward and Council urges every resident to get on board, if not for our own sakes then for the people around us.”

“There are people who will need to keep working during this crisis, such as health and emergency staff. The more we do to ensure we comply with government advice, the more likely those workers are to stay well and continue to do their jobs and keep the community safe and well. Sticking to the rules will also help protect the elderly and the vulnerable in our community.”

Government regulations:

• Public gatherings, excluding household members, have been reduced to a maximum of two people.
• Everyone should stay home unless you are: shopping for essentials, receiving medical care, exercising or travelling to work or education.
• People aged over 70; aged over 65 with pre-existing conditions, or Indigenous people aged over 50 with pre-existing conditions should stay home wherever possible for their own

  protection.