The Hunter recorded a "donut day" of no new coronavirus infections on Wednesday for the first time since August 5, but the region will join the rest of NSW in lockdown until at least September 10.
NSW reported a record 1029 new cases on Thursday, and the state's chief health officer, Dr Kerry Chant, said the numbers could end up "way above 1000".
Deputy Premier John Barilaro said the Dubbo area had little hope of eradicating the virus and would stay in lockdown as long as Sydney, but other regions still had an opportunity to escape sooner.
"I want to still give people hope," the Nationals leader said. "Most of the regions are not yet tied completely to what happens in Sydney."
Mr Barilaro said on Thursday afternoon that he was aware of three new cases in the Hunter since the latest reporting period ended at 8pm on Wednesday, but the Newcastle Herald understands this was a preliminary count and one might have been reallocated to another health district.
The NSW government announced the regional lockdown would expire no earlier than midnight on Friday, September 10, stretching the stay-at-home orders another 13 days from their scheduled end on Saturday.
Parts of the state, including the Upper Hunter, have not recorded a positive case during the latest outbreak of the delta strain.
Asked why places like the Upper Hunter would remain locked down, Mr Barilaro said: "You can't be an island surrounded by cases.
"I feel for that community, but you can't just pull out a little region.
"The reason there aren't cases in those areas is because of the restrictions we have in place."
Hunter New England public health controller Dr David Durrheim congratulated the region on cutting cases to zero, at least for a day.
"A donut day. Well done, Hunter New England community," he said.
"It's been a great effort so far, but we're not through this battle just yet."
About 136,000 people, more than two per cent of the eligible population, received a vaccine in NSW on Wednesday, putting the state on target to reach its first double-dose target of 70 per cent by mid-October.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced the state's reward for reaching 6 million vaccine jabs would be a loosening of restrictions on outdoor gatherings.
From September 13, people can gather outside in groups of five if all adults present are fully vaccinated.
The gathering must occur in the people's local government area or within five kilometres of their homes, but backyard events are banned.
Mr Barilaro, the industry minister, said he would start meeting on Friday with business associations to discuss plans for reopening sectors of the economy in October.
The announcement of new freedoms for the vaccinated sparked a backlash in the Hunter, where many people cannot book Pfizer shots until November.
Mr Barilaro said some people were "playing brand differentiation" in bypassing the AstraZeneca vaccine.
The pressing threat of the pandemic had forced the government to throw "fairness out the window" and urged people to receive whatever vaccine was available.
Member for Newcastle Tim Crakanthorp said many Hunter people in Pfizer priority groups would not be fully vaccinated "until long after the new rule comes into effect".
"Due to the lack of Pfizer supply in the Hunter, people in priority groups who are unable to receive AstraZeneca have not been able to secure their first appointment until October or November," he said.
People aged 16 to 39 who are not in a priority category cannot access the Pfizer vaccine until Monday.
The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation recommends Pfizer as the "preferred" vaccine for people aged 16 to 59 but says AstraZeneca can also be provided to that age group.
The Belmont vaccination hub, which the Newcastle Herald has been told is delivering about 12,000 to 14,000 jabs a week, has been assigning new first-dose bookings for November.
Many people face waiting until December for a second shot then another two weeks for the vaccine to take full effect.
If they are not afforded the same freedoms as vaccinated people when the government opens up, these people could remain effectively in lockdown until just before Christmas.
The only surgery on the HotDoc booking website administering Pfizer in Newcastle, Hello Health Family Practice at Wallsend, has been inundated and cannot meet demand.
"We are under considerable strain at the moment as we are receiving hundreds of phone calls daily for people requesting Pfizer vaccines," the practice said in a notice on its website.
