Those in New South Wales’ Covid hotspots will have unlimited exercise as the state hits 70 per cent single dose vaccinations – following another 1,288 new cases.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian confirmed there were seven deaths at her daily Covid-19 press conference on Thursday and 121,000 residents had come forward to get vaccinated within the past 24 hours.
The seven deaths in residents aged in their 50s, 70s, and 80s is the highest daily death toll in the outbreak. All were unvaccinated.
From Friday those in Sydney’s LGAs of concern who had earlier been limited to one hour of exercise a day will now be able to exercise for an unlimited amount of time given it’s between the 5am to 9pm curfew which will remain.
Ms Berejiklian said the vaccination rates was an ‘outstanding achievement’ and said life would be very different once 70 per cent of the population was double jabbed.
’70 per cent double-dose vaccination will allow us to do the things we’ve all been missing,’ she said.
‘It will allows us to interact with one another safely but again I want to stress this. The privileges that will extend at 70% double-dose are only for those who are double vaccinated. So get vaccinated now.’
Those in New South Wales’ Covid hotspots will have unlimited exercise as the state hits 70 per cent single dose vaccinations – following another 1,288 new cases
Current modelling suggests NSW will reach that double vaccination target by October 21, whereby residents will finally be afforded freedoms to visit the pub, restaurants and stadium events.
NSW is the first state in Australia to reach the 70 per cent first dose target and will likely be the first to reach the second dose target as well.
As we move ever closer to more freedoms the premier suggested international travel may even be an option on the table by Christmas.
NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant confirmed there were now 160 residents in ICU.
She confirmed one of the deaths was in a man aged in his 50s from south-west Sydney who had underlying health conditions.
A man and a woman both aged in their 70s also died in south-west Sydney.
One man aged in his 80s died at Sydney’s North Shore hospital, while two other men aged in their 80s passed away in the city’s south west.
The final death is a woman aged in her 80s who died at Liverpool Hospital which has 12 deaths linked to the cluster.
Pharmacist Christine Kelly administers a dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine to Megan English at Taronga Zoo on September 1 in Sydney
Those in industries who have been hard-hit by the pandemic are looking forward to the eventual introduction of more freedoms within retail, tourism, hotel, hospitality and entertainment industries.
‘These businesses and our customers need a light at the end of the lockdown tunnel and something to look forward to,’ Tourism and Transport Forum Australia Chief Executive Margy Osmond told 9News.
‘We want to encourage all our loyal customers and clients to get the jab, download their certificate and come celebrate with a drink at the pub, a great weekend away, a terrific meal out, the hairdo you have been hanging out for, a spot of retail therapy and a night at the cinema or the theatre,’ Australian Retailers Association CEO Paul Zahra added.
While both NSW and Victoria have abandoned hope of getting back to zero Covid cases during the current outbreaks, Premier Berejiklian is still hopeful about the possibility of opening up the state once these vaccination targets are reached.
Health authorities are currently looking into whether these undisclosed freedoms would be given to those who are living within the hotspot LGAs or just those in the broader greater Sydney region.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian (pictured) is hopeful that NSW will reach 70 per cent fully vaccinated by October 21
‘We’re obviously looking at those issues but no matter where you live, life will be much, much better, much freer, as long as you’re vaccinated at 70 per cent,’ Ms Berejiklian said in her daily press conference on Wednesday.
‘We’ll provide details as soon as we can.’
The decision to wait for these vaccination targets in NSW and Victoria means that over half of the Australian population will remain in lockdown until these states reach 70 per cent fully vaccinated.
NSW recorded 1,116 new cases yesterday and four deaths while Victoria reached 176 new cases on Thursday, the highest daily rise they have seen in almost a year.
Follows 1,116 new cases and four deaths in NSW recorded on Wednesday. None of those who died were vaccinated