NSW has reported 112 new cases of Covid-19, as the government opens up its mass vaccination hubs to over-40s who want to get the AstraZeneca vaccine.
Of the new cases, the source of 48 is under investigation and at least 34 were in the community while infectious.
It’s the highest number of daily cases recorded in the state since the Bondi outbreak started which has now grown to 678. There were more than 48,000 tests in the 24 hours to 8pm on Sunday.
The NSW premier, Gladys Berejiklian, said the majority of cases occurred in south-western Sydney, with authorities particularly concerned about the spread of the virus in Fairfield.
“Everybody in Fairfield should be staying at home unless they absolutely have to,” Berejiklian said.
Berejiklian said the numbers showed people who were infected with Covid-19 were most likely to pass on that infection to people in their family.
“If you put yourself at risk, you’re putting your entire family, and that means extended family, as well as your closest friends and associates, at risk. The numbers are telling in that regard.”
Berejiklian, who said on Sunday it was “unlikely” the lockdown would lift on Friday, said there had been “very high level” discussion with the federal government on support for business.
She said an announcement was “imminent” in the next few days.
The premier pleaded with essential workers who have symptoms to get tested and not go to work, and indicated a support payment for casual workers forced to isolate was part of discussions with the federal government.
“National cabinet decided that the federal government will take care of individuals and state governments would take care of businesses – that was the agreement that was reached and obviously at the moment I think it is a $500 payment offered to casual and permanent part-time staff,” she said.
“That is something we are looking at as well in terms of the package we are going to announce. That is on the table. I want to stress that.”
There were 63 Covid patients in hospital, with 18 in intensive care, four of whom are on ventilators. Of those, 25 people are under the age of 55, and 14 are under the age of 35. Of the people in ICU, one is in their 20s, one in their 30s, one in their 40s, five in their 50s, six in their 60s, three in their 70s and one in their 80s.
The NSW government will prioritise distribution of vaccines to teachers and aged care workers in the local government areas of Fairfield, Canterbury Bankstown and Liverpool, where case numbers are highest. A vaccine hub at Fairfield showground will open on Friday to target these groups.
NSW vaccination clinics and centres will now offer the AstraZeneca vaccine to people aged 40 and over, and pharmacies in the state will also be able to administer the vaccine to this cohort.
People aged under 40 will still need to speak to their GP if they wish to get AstraZeneca.
The NSW chief health officer, Dr Kerry Chant, said the decision to open up access to AstraZeneca was due to the Covid risk changing “dramatically” in New South Wales.
“Under the current situation, because we actually have Covid and the Delta strain circulating, it then means that your individual risk of acquiring the strain is very much different than it would have been a month or so ago when your community risk would have been very low,” she said.
NSW is also seeking permission from the federal government to redirect any unused Pfizer vaccines from GPs to its hubs.
New mass vaccination hubs in Lake Macquarie, the Sydney CBD, Macquarie Fields and Wollongong will open in the next few weeks, taking the number of doses NSW can administer every week up to 200,000, if there is enough supply.
Meanwhile, the Victorian health minister, Martin Foley, confirmed that a Sydney removalist who has tested positive to Covid, was in Victoria and South Australia while infectious. The man travelled from NSW and spent time in Victoria on 8 July and South Australia on 9 July. Foley said he had been in Melbourne and exposure sites will probably be released later on Monday.
Victoria declared NSW and the ACT a red zone on Sunday, meaning anyone attempting to visit Victoria will be turned around at the border, and Victorian residents will be required to quarantine for 14 days.
Queensland has held off shutting its border completely to NSW, but the premier Annastacia Palaszczuk told residents in NSW to return home now.
