THE public health controller for Hunter New England has urged the region to stay the course as the state government relaxes isolation rules on Friday.
Dr David Durrheim on Friday morning issued a plea for residents to keep up the good work.
"We've made some really positive progress towards getting COVID-19 under control but we need to be careful not to become complacent," he said.
"We're all keen to return to our normal lives, but even as restrictions ease vigilance is still needed to ensure we don't get a resurgence of the virus, which is a possibility.
"What we're really looking at is a new type of normal until an effective vaccine is broadly available."
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian on Friday morning reported "four or five" new cases across the state were believed to have emerged due to community transmission.
Dr Durrheim said good hygiene and social distancing should remain front of mind even as restrictions were wound back.
"We will need to continue to test widely, and monitor cases closely as restrictions ease," he said.
"Regular hand hygiene, meticulous cough and sneeze etiquette, and continuing to stand back are our new normal. Let's all make sure that we are not giving the virus another chance."
Mr Durrheim has previously indicated it would take 28 days nationally without new cases emerging to indicate the virus had been eradicated.
