UP to 40,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine will be redirected from regional areas to vaccinate Year 12 students in Sydney's COVID hotspots after the state recorded 177 new cases of community transmission of the virus, and another death.
The NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said redirecting "tens of thousands" of Pfizer doses to Sydney may impact some people "in the bush" - but it was important Year 12 students returning to face-to-face learning on August 16 had the protection of vaccination.
A NSW Health spokesperson would not say whether Newcastle and the Hunter were considered "the bush" - or whether doses allocated to Belmont's mass vaccination hub would be effected.
But he said the Pfizer doses would be sourced from supplies "across rural and regional NSW" to ensure no one area was impacted.
"NSW Health can assure those in regional NSW who have had a first Pfizer dose they will receive their second dose," he said. "The growing outbreak of the Delta strain in Sydney is a major threat to our regional communities.
"Anyone in rural and regional NSW with an existing booking at a NSW Health clinic who has not yet received their first Pfizer dose will be contacted as soon as possible if their booking is going to be impacted."
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He said the federal government supplies of Pfizer vaccine given to some GPs in regional NSW would be "unaffected" by the reallocation.
"AstraZeneca remains available from GPs, NSW Health clinics and a growing number of pharmacies."
There are now eight local government areas "of concern" in Sydney, with the virus now circulating at a rate considered "too dangerous" in Parramatta, Georges River and Campbelltown.
Ms Berejiklian confirmed the Greater Sydney lockdown - which includes the Central Coast - would continue for another four weeks until August 28.
Home-schooling would continue for all children in those areas with the exception of year 12 students, who would resume face-to-face learning in two weeks.
"That is based on the fact that within those eight LGAs of concern, the NSW government will be vaccinating students 16-to-18 who are in year 12," Ms Berejiklian said.
"I want to thank in advance regional NSW where we will take some Pfizer, given the changing advice for AstraZeneca, to make sure year 12 students are getting that vaccine," she said.
"We don't want students coming to face-to-face learning, getting the virus, and taking it home with them.
"In a pandemic you have to make difficult decisions.
"It's really just putting a pause for a few weeks on some people in the bush who want to get the Pfizer. Every adult can get AstraZeneca."
Existing restrictions remain unchanged for regional NSW.
A woman in her 90s has become the 11th COVID-19-related death during this outbreak, dying at Liverpool Hospital on Tuesday. She was not vaccinated.
There are currently 165 COVID-19 cases admitted to hospital, with 56 people in intensive care, 22 of whom require ventilation.
