NSW records 1259 new coronavirus cases, 12 deaths as curfews lift
NSW has recorded 1259 new cases of coronavirus and 12 further deaths, a jump in infections from yesterday.
However, the curfew in high-risk Sydney LGAs will be lifted tonight after New South Wales passed the 80 per cent single-dose milestone. Other restrictions will remain.
Despite ending the curfew, Premier Gladys Berejiklian said now was not a time for residents to become complacent.
“We can’t move on anything else just now. We need everybody to hold the line,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“Please make sure that if you live in those local government areas of concern that you stick to every other rule that’s in place.”
Cumberland Mayor Steve Christou said he welcomed the news.
“Finally, the Premier has listened to my concerns that the Cumberland community and other LGAs were being unfairly penalised with curfews and stringent lockdowns,” he said.
“I think it’s a poor reflection on the Government that it has taken this long to come to their senses as my community has been collateral damage.”
Cr Christou said people in south-west Sydney had been treated as “second-class citizens” and had suffered a heavy economic and mental health burden.
“I will be meeting with the NSW Treasurer (Dominic) Perrottet this afternoon to discuss how the Government can provide further assistance to our community,” he said.
‘Outstanding’ vaccine result for NSW
Ms Berejiklian said 80 per cent of people in the state have now received at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine.
More than 47.5 percent of people in the state have had both doses.
Ms Berejiklian called it an outstanding result.
“To reach our first dose of 80 per cent is a huge tribute to everybody in the community and some of our communities in western and south-western Sydney have vaccination rates closer to 90 per cent,” she said.
Ms Berejiklian has stressed that once NSW hits a double-dose vaccination rate of 70 per cent, the freedoms given to residents will only apply to those who are fully vaccinated.
“At 70 per cent double dose, you will be required under health orders, to only be able to frequent venues if you’re vaccinated. I want to make that clear,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“It’s black and white. If you’re not vaccinated, you can’t go to a restaurant. You can’t go to a cafe.”
Of the coronavirus deaths, two were in their 50s, three were in their 60s, three were in their 70s, two in their 80s and one in their 90s.
Ten of the 12 were not vaccinated, and one had only received one dose.
Only a man in his 90s with underlying health conditions died with coronavirus despite having both doses.
Vaccine holdouts
Ms Berejiklian has said some communities in the state who are registering lower than average vaccination rates have a choice to receive the jab – but their freedoms will be impacted once the state opens up.
“Obviously, some communities like Byron have a larger percentage of people who choose not to be vaccinated. That’s their choice but they won’t be able to participate in the activities vaccinated people will,” the Premier said.
Ms Berejiklian also signalled that areas with lower than average vaccination rates may not be included in the state’s roadmap of easing lockdowns.
“I foreshadowed the day we announced and released the road map, it could be a situation where if case numbers are too high when we open up the state, that if you live in a community or in a category of person who has high rates of virus, we might have to say to you for the next little while, do all those things that you’re allowed to do but within your local area,” Ms Berejiklian said.
Hospitality plea
Hospitality venues operators are calling for a public health order to make it clearer about turning away non-vaccinated patrons.
Ms Berejiklian has said the government will provide certainty in the weeks ahead as to what penalties will be given to individuals or businesses who do not check a person’s vaccination status before allowing them entry.
The Premier said the government is currently working through the issue with the business community.
“All of us want to see this process as easy as possible, there is a compliance regime we are going through now to ensure we haven’t left any issues unresolved,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“When I say well ahead, weeks ahead, we can provide that certainty, what the penalties are for individuals purposely defying orders or if a business doesn’t take enough responsibility.”
New modelling from the Burnet Institute released yesterday says tough lockdown rules, and not increasing vaccination rates, had the greatest impact on slowing the spread of the highly contagious Delta variant in hotspot areas.
Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant said people in Young, Wagga Wagga and Mudgee should come forward for testing after an infected person visited all three towns.
Young is not currently in lockdown, but authorities are considering whether to introduce new restrictions in the country town.
Meanwhile, a western Sydney aged care home where 19 residents died from coronavirus in the peak of the outbreak last year is in lockdown this morning after a fresh scare.
Newmarch House in Caddens, near Penrith, is on high alert after a doctor, who tested positive to COVID-19, visited the home three times last week.
So far, no residents or staff have been infected with the virus. The majority of those living and working at the Anglicare-owned facility are believed to have been vaccinated.
Newmarch House was one of two major clusters in aged care facilities last year, after an outbreak at the Dorothy Henderson Lodge in Macquarie Park.
Yesterday, NSW recorded 1127 new local cases and two deaths.
Home quarantine
The NSW Government is also trialling home quarantine on some double-vaccinated returning travellers.
Seventeen Paralympians are taking part in the 14-day quarantine period inside their homes after exemptions by the state government.
The exemptions were granted due to the athletes having “high care needs, including equipment requirements” according to a statement published in the Sydney Morning Herald.
All Paralympians who competed in Tokyo had to be double-vaccinated before departure, with those quarantining at home undergoing the same COVID-19 testing as those in the hotel system.
It follows the successful trial of a home quarantine app in South Australia with hopes it could be opened up to selected foreign travellers as early as next month.
The program is in its second stage with 90 ADF personnel who returned from various lower risk COVID countries.
