Epidemiologists are calling for a crowdless New Year’s Test at the SCG, to prevent further spread of COVID-19 and encourage compliance with other restrictions.

UNSW Professor of Global Biosecurity Raina MacIntyre told John Stanley allowing 24,000 people at the match is “sending a mixed message” to Sydneysiders, particularly in the wake of two likely super spreader celebrations.

“All those transmissions that occurred on Christmas Day, they’re going to start presenting now … then there’ll be another surge after New Year’s Eve.

“This outbreak is already the biggest we’ve seen in terms of community outbreaks in NSW.

“My prediction is from the 6th to the 14th of January is when we would expect to see a big surge in cases.”

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