The ACT government has cooled on a regional bubble arrangement, saying as NSW impose harsher measures to lock down Sydneysiders, restrictions would only be implemented when absolutely necessary.
ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr said planning was underway for "multiple scenarios" to protect Canberra from the Delta outbreak interstate, adding travel bubble and border controls used in other areas, "would require significant resourcing and be hugely challenging to implement in the ACT."
"There is no single solution to protect the ACT from the risk of COVID-19," Mr Barr said.
"Every outbreak and case will have a unique set of circumstances that needs to be responded to in a targeted and specific approach."
The government were poised to "hit the go button" on a border arrangement last Friday, but as the risk from Sydney was deemed low, authorities held back on plans.
Saturday brought another day of cases above 200 in NSW, with two thirds of the 210 infections in people under 40.
A man in his 60s became the fourteenth person to die of COVID-19 linked to the Delta outbreak.
Mr Hazzard warned that the Delta variant was "partial to younger people" with six people in their 20s in intensive care and four in their 30s.
The tighter Sydney's lockdown the lower risk posed to the ACT, with Mr Barr adding existing measures including sewage testing were enough to keep on top of the situation.
"Should we see localised outbreaks in our region, Canberrans and surrounding residents can expect the ACT government to implement a system where people can only travel into the ACT for essential reasons," Mr Barr said.
"These reasons would include essential healthcare and employment. Any measures that we put in place could be in place for many weeks and would need to be sustainable."
The ACT government is preparing to ramp up the COVID-19 vaccine rollout in coming weeks with people in their 30s able to book in "very soon".
More than 17,000 of the almost 70,000 Canberrans in that age group have already expressed interest in the vaccine since registrations opened last week.
The appointments for people aged 30-39 were initially tipped to be available from September.
The nation is aiming for 80 per cent vaccination coverage in the eligible population to reopen the country and end crushing coronavirus restrictions.
A target of 70 per cent would trigger the gradual easing of some restrictions, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced on Friday following National Cabinet.
Mr Barr said it would take a "massive national effort" to achieve that goal.
"I am slightly more optimistic that we could achieve it in the ACT though," he said.
The ACT is a top performer in the vaccine rollout with one fifth of the eligible population fully immunised and about 46 per cent with one dose.
"The ACT has a strong vaccine take up, and we will continue to offer vaccinations to Canberrans as quickly as possible, subject to supply from the Commonwealth," Mr Barr said.
"It's likely that the ACT will continue to be above the national average on vaccination take up."
The NSW government has imposed tougher restrictions on eight areas of Sydney worst-hit by the outbreak of the Delta strain with mask-wearing mandatory anytime residents leave the house and distance limits on movement.
"These restrictions, combined with high testing rates and regular waste water testing are proving effective in stopping the spread of COVID-19 into our community," Mr Barr said.
"There are no outbreaks or clusters in the surrounding region and there is no immediate risk to the ACT."
Mr Barr said when travel measures were needed, the details of how it would work would be communicated "clearly and as soon as possible".
"We will explain to the community what they need to do, why they need to do it and the best way to access information and support," he said.
