Source: 9news
NSW has recorded 1218 new COVID-19 cases overnight and six further deaths.Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the majority of these cases are in Sydney’s south-west and west.
She said vaccination rates, however, are continuing to climb, and in one week, health officials administered 834,000 jabs.
“It is an outstanding result. It has broken all our records,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“And I can’t thank everybody enough for coming forward to get vaccinated. As a result, 65 per cent of our population have had at least one dose and 35 per cent of our population is fully vaccinated.”
So we are halfway to that magic 70 per cent number across the state in order to have those extra freedoms.”Ms Berejiklian said that number is looking likely to “land” during October.
“But the next big target but I want us to achieve as a status to that 70 per cent single dose vaccination, because then we will have confidence as to when we are going to learn that double dose.”
Yesterday NSW recorded 1035 new locally-acquired cases, so this makes today’s case the highest in the state since the pandemic began.The deaths included three people in their 80s and three people in their 70s.
Ms Berejiklian said four of them were unvaccinated and two of them had had one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
“So again, we extend our deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of those six individuals,” she said.
NSW Health’s Dr Jeremy McAnulty said there are large numbers of people in the state’s hospitals with COVID-19.
“There are 813 people admitted at the moment with COVID in NSW hospitals, including 126 in intensive care and 54 who required ventilation,” Dr McAnulty said.
“The vaccine is great, we know it is around 90 per cent if you are fully vaccinated, of protecting from severe disease, hospitalisation and death. But it is not perfect, it is not 100 per cent.
“So unfortunately we do get breakthrough infection sometimes, even in people who have had to doses. But it is uncommon and we are seeing most people having had no vaccine, or perhaps just one.”
Earlier this week, Ms Berejiklian signalled increased freedoms for fully-vaccinated residents on September 13.
From September 13, households living in the NSW government’s LGAs of concern will be allowed to spend an additional hour of recreation outdoors, as long as all adults in the household are fully vaccinated.This is on top of the already-permitted hour of exercise, meaning households will be able to visit a park.
However, people must take this hour within the current and ongoing curfew hours, which will continue.
Outside the LGAs of concern, through the rest of Greater Sydney and regional NSW, five people will be allowed to gather outdoors, as long as all adults are fully vaccinated.
It comes as the government tries several strategies to boost vaccination rates across the state as residents await another month in lockdown.
Dubbed “Super Sunday”, Sydney‘s main vaccination hub at Homebush has begun offering sporting merchandise to residents who arrive to receive a COVID-19 vaccination.
Weddings to recommence
Health Minister Brad Hazzard yesterday announced that weddings will be allowed in NSW once again.
From 12.01am this coming Friday, weddings will be permitted provided that they are limited to no more than five guests.
“Obviously, the circumstances in New South Wales are such that while we are seeing massive vaccination numbers, we are also seeing substantial cases, and for a number of weeks now, we have had no capacity for people to get married,” Mr Hazzard said.
“A decision has been taken that in a balanced sense, we have to be able to allow people who want to get married to get married.”
So as from 12.01am Friday this coming week, couples who wish to marry will be able to marry, but with minimal guests in attendance, so there will be five guests allowed in addition to those who obviously will be necessary for the actual service, so those officiating and perhaps a photographer to record the event, we will work through that during the course of the week.”
