Col Murray and Michael Pearce admit COVID-19 is closing in on council areas

TRC's Col Murray said their was an 'inevitability' of the virus landing in Tamworth, especially with a number of businesses now being listed as exposure sites.

He said the growing cluster in Armidale, along with the Newcastle outbreak creates a sense of "inevitability" cases will make their way to Tamworth, but it's difficult to say anyone will truly be ready for it.

"I don't think anyone can ever really be prepared to go into a lockdown, and it will be great if we don't have to but we can only wait and see," he said.

"But I think the reality of COVID and the reality of this delta strain, is that COVID doesn't move, it's only people that move it so we're still moving around.

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"And until and unless people stop moving around we'll end up with COVID here in town."

USC mayor Michael Pearce mirrored that sentiment, and said it was frustrating to see the amount of people still breaking the rules in major cities.

He believes if the virus does make its way into the Uralla local government area, his community will react to it better than those in Sydney.

"We just have to get the point in that people need to be vigilant and make sure that we stay at home, and don't go out unless we absolutely have to do so," he said.

"It's not brain surgery, we see what's happening in Sydney with people obviously flouting the rules and I'm sure that we in the country can do it a bit better, and I'm sure we'll do the right thing."

Both Cr Murray and Cr Pearce said they felt for their region's businesses, who will again have to adapt should a lockdown take place.

They expressed confidence their local business operators would have plans in place if the lockdown call is made, but said there's only so much that can be done to negate such a major change.

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