Three unvaccinated NSW residents have died from Covid-19 as the state detected a record 1,029 cases overnight and Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced new freedoms for those who have had both doses from September 13.
The new deaths were men in their 30s, 60s and 80s from west and south-west Sydney.
Of the new cases, 61 were infectious in the community and the isolation status of 844 infections is under investigation.
The lockdown in the state’s regions – where Deputy Premier John Barilaro said the outbreak is ‘sitting on a knife edge’ – has also been extended for two weeks until September 10.
From Monday September 13, Ms Berejiklian announced anyone who is fully vaccinated and lives outside of an area of concern can gather in groups of up to five in their own LGA or within 5km of their home.
Residents living in households where all adults have been vaccinated in one of the 12 LGAs of concern will be allowed outside together for another hour on top of their one-hour exercise limit.
Ms Berejiklian said the new rules were the best compromise between satisfying the state’s mental health needs and preventing transmission.
‘We know coming together is what people miss the most,’ she said.
‘From the various options we looked at, that was the option that met the mental health needs and wellbeing of our community, but also provided the lowest-risk setting.’
The new freedoms come after the state hit Ms Berejiklian’s target of getting six million jabs in arms by the end of August a week early.
The state leader said NSW is on track to fully vaccinate 70 per cent of its population by as early as mid-October – triggering further freedoms for the fully vaccinated.
A host of restrictions will be eased from September 13 to give fully-vaccinated locked-down Sydneysiders the ability to gather in larger groups
Anyone who is fully vaccinated and lives outside of an area of concern can gather in groups of up to five in their own LGA or within 5km of their home
Businesses can refuse service to anyone who refuses to get the Covid-19 jab. Pictured is a supermarket at Westfield East Gardens, located in one of the 12 Sydney Covid hotspot LGAs
The NSW government has released a roadmap showing which restrictions once the state reaches 70 and 80 per cent vaccination coverage levels.
At 70 per cent fully-jabbed, officials said family, industry, community and economic restrictions will be lifted for those who are fully vaccinated.
Once the state hits a 80 per cent coverage level, restrictions will be further eased for businesses, the wider-community and the economy.
NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant said she was confident easing restrictions in the state was safe even when cases were still rising at record rates.
Sydneysiders are in their ninth week of lockdown, which has been extended to the end of September.
Meanwhile, businesses are within their rights to turn away anyone who refuses to get the Covid-19 jab under existing laws, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has confirmed.
Mr Morrison has told federal parliament refusing service is a ‘legitimate thing’ for businesses to do in order to protect their staff and customers, despite warnings from the Australian Human Rights Commission.
Millions of Australians have rolled up their sleeves for the jab on the promise of more freedoms once they’ve had both jabs.
A business can refuse entry or service to anyone as long as they don’t breach anti-discrimination laws based on race, age, gender or disability under existing laws and have the backing of the prime minister to do so.
‘That’s a legitimate thing for them to do,’ Mr Morrison told Parliament on Wednesday.
‘They’re doing that to protect their own workers, to protect their other clients.
‘It’s got nothing to do with ideology, or these issues around liberty,
‘We all believe in freedom, but we also believe in people being healthy.
‘And the simple fact is, if you’re not vaccinated you present a greater health risk to yourself, to your family, to your community and others about you.’
However, the Australian Human Rights Commission has urged businesses and service providers should be cautious about imposing a blanket rule requiring vaccination as a condition of entry, or for the delivery or provision of goods, services and facilities.
The easing of restrictions comes after NSW reached six million vaccinations earlier this week. Pictured are Sydneysiders receiving the AstraZeneca vaccine at the Bankstown Sports Club in the city’s south-west
Businesses are within their rights refuse to service anyone who isn’t vaccinated. Pictured is a fishmonger in Sydney’s south-west
‘There are medical reasons why a person may not be able to receive a COVID-19 vaccination, or may choose not to in their circumstances, including because of protected attributes such pregnancy or disability,’ the commission states on its website.
‘Additionally, at present, many younger Australians have not been eligible for particular Covid-19 vaccinations at all, or for shorter periods of time than older Australians.’
More half of all Australians aged over-16 have received one vaccine dose while 31.6 per cent are now fully vaccinated.
Australians are flocking to be vaccinated on the promise of more freedoms. Pictured are queues at the Sydney Olympic Park vaccination hub
The National Cabinet will meet on Friday to discuss a proposal to link certain freedoms to a vaccine passport once 70-80 per cent of the population is fully vaccination.
Freedoms could include attending It could be key to going to sporting events, concerts and businesses will have the right to turn away people who aren’t vaccinated.
But Mr Morrison is facing resistance from some of his own MPs, who argue a vaccine passport will create two classes of citizens.