Why Sydneysiders WILL soon be free as explained by top doctor Gladys Berejiklian listens to - as the likely one 'new freedom' double-vaccinated will enjoy within weeks is revealed
- Doherty Institute Director Professor Sharon Lewin explains the Covid roadmap
- Gladys Berejiklian said rules will ease when NSW completes 6 million Covid jabs
- The state is set to reach that target on Tuesday with 5.9 million done on Monday
- The premier has hinted that 'personal care services' could re-open next month
- But pubs and gyms are not expected to open until 70 per cent are vaccinated
One of the nation's top doctors who has the ear of Gladys Berejiklian and the national cabinet has assured Australians that reopening the country when vaccine targets are reached will be safe - even if Covid case numbers are surging.
In New South Wales, where infections have climbed to record highs of more than 800 a day, the premier has even promised to reward double-jabbed residents with a 'new freedom' in September for reaching the state's first vaccination target - most likely to be haircuts.
Doherty Institute Director Professor Sharon Lewin has now confirmed modelling that the government is relying on to end the relentless cycle of lockdowns does not depend on the number of infections circulating in the community.
'Zero-Covid is no longer the goal once you have 70 to 80 per cent of people vaccinated. Whether you start at 30 cases or 800 cases you can still open up safely,' she told ABC's The Drum on Monday.
'With 70 per cent vaccination you will get hundreds of thousands of cases, even starting from 30 cases. However, in the presence of vaccination, your deaths and hospitalisations will be greatly reduced.'
Gladys Berejiklian has blasted other state leaders for not following the roadmap laid out by the Doherty Institute for the National Cabinet and vowing to keep their borders closed (pictured, a man shuts his shop in the hotspot suburb of Merrylands as the 9pm curfew commences on Monday night)
Hairdressers in NSW are waiting to see if they will be allowed to reopen to the vaccinated (pictured, a salon before the recent round of lockdowns)
Debate on how to interpret the Institute's roadmap out of lockdowns and interstate border closures has been fiercely debated by governments of Queensland, Victoria and Western Australia who have voiced opposition about reopening amid spiralling cases.
For weeks now Ms Berejiklian has repeatedly promised that extra freedoms would be given when NSW completes six million jabs, with that milestone likely to be confirmed on Tuesday, prompting expectations of at least a small relaxation of the rules.
The premier confirmed such a plan was in the works on Monday night during a TV interview blitz, her first since the outbreak started on June 16.
NSW had completed more than 5.9 million jabs on Monday, meaning the six million target would be reached a week earlier than scheduled after a huge vaccination drive, particularly in south-west Sydney where daily Covid cases are in the hundreds.
Doherty Institute Director Professor Sharon Lewin (pictured) said modelling that the government are relying on to end the relentless cycle of lockdowns does not depend on the number of infections circulating in the community
Many political insiders have tipped the fully-vaccinated will finally be able to get a hair cut after months in lockdown, with the premier making similar suggestions during a radio interview.
'I have never suggested that life will be free once we get to the six million jabs but what I have said, and will honour, is that if you are fully vaccinated, there will be at least one thing you can do that you cannot do now,' Ms Berejiklian told A Current Affair on Monday.
'We know that the harsh lockdowns in NSW are affecting every single citizen, so for us to be able to give them something they can do, which they couldn't previously do, is an important opportunity.'
Sky News' Andrew Clennell believes the 'new freedom' afforded to long-suffering NSW residents in September will be haircuts - as long as both client and staff are vaccinated
For weeks now Gladys Berejiklian has repeatedly promised that restrictions will be relaxed when the state completes six million Covid-19 vaccinations, but cafes will likely not be helped (pictured, a cafe in Rockdale, south Sydney, on Monday)
The premier did not specify what that extra freedom would be, but said the move is being made to give 'people a bit of relief' until we get to the 70 per cent double dose rate.
'If you think about it, in the last week in NSW alone, three quarters of one million people in one week have come forward and had a vaccine, and that is outstanding,' she said.
But despite the rapid progress NSW will not likely reach its inoculation goal until late October.
'So the challenge for us is how can we live through September and October safely before we hit that 70 per cent vaccination rate. And that's the challenge,' the premier said.
In a KIIS FM radio interview on Wednesday, the premier said 'personal care' services such as hair salons and beauticians could be opened in September to people who are fully vaccinated and can prove it using the Medicare app.
She said Chief Health Officer Kerry Chat was 'looking at things where both parties are vaccinated.'
Health Minister Brad Hazzard said on Sunday ministers are working 'very, very closely' on a plan to reopen schools (pictured) but said 'we are not there yet'
A man waits outside a walk-in AstraZeneca vaccine clinic at Rockdale in Sydney on Monday (pictured) with thousands of Aussies answering the call to get jabbed
'Every state has different rules to lockdown, so there are some things in New South Wales you can't do now that you are able to do to some extent in other states during lockdown,' she added.
'So, we're looking at those things that might support wellbeing.'
When asked if that may include hairdressers, Ms Berejiklian replied: 'Yeah, potentially.
'I don't want to give the game away but it would be, potentially, services which could be provided to people provided both parties are vaccinated.
'Those kind of personal care services and what have you.
'If we can do something safely and all parties are vaccinated then that gives us some options,' she said.
However, she ruled out allowing allowing pubs to re-open as well gyms.
Under the Doherty Institute roadmap being worked on by ministers - which was partially leaked to The Australian last week - bars, restaurants and gyms will not be open until 70 per cent of the state is jabbed.
In a flurry of TV interviews on Monday night, the besieged state leader appeared on ABC's 7.30 where she was grilled from Leigh Sales who asked how many daily deaths would be acceptable if lockdowns were to end and Covid left to run free.
Ms Berejiklian responded by saying that during a pandemic when you have an unvaccinated population, 'unfortunately there is going to be a consequence.'
'You have to be real about it. I wish there was an easy way to say we're gonna have to zero cases and then somehow got to 100 per cent vaccination - but that's just not the real world,' she said.
The Premier said 'personal care' services such as hair salons and beauticians (pictured in Broadway, Sydney before lockdown) could be opened to the vaccinated
An empty pavement in the main street in the suburb of Merrylands is seen after Covid curfew on Monday (pictured), with thousands in the 12 hotspot LGAs living under the particularly brutal restrictio
'We do have to accept unfortunately that people will succumb.'
She also told A Current Affair presenter Tracy Grimshaw that Australians need to confront the fact that 'we are going to see case numbers go up'.
'I don't like to use this comparison but every year we lose between 600 to 800 people in NSW alone because of the flu,' Ms Berejiklian warned.
'Unfortunately... we have to confront ourselves with the fact that that is what life will be like in NSW as horrible as it is.'
Her comments were backed up by Prof Lewin who said the point of moving from phase A to phase B in the Doherty Institute's roadmap means exiting an environment of zero-Covid.
Sydneysiders walk along the Bennelong Bridge, which runs between Wentworth Point and Rhodes on Monday just before curfew (pictured) with hotspot LGAs suffering gruelling restrictions
But despite the rapid progress NSW will not likely reach its inoculation goal of 70 oer cent until late October (pictured, queues outside he Homebush vaccination hub on Monday)
'There is light at the end of the tunnel – once we achieve 70-80 per cent vaccination we will see less transmission of Covid-19 and fewer people with severe illness, and therefore fewer hospitalisations and deaths,' the Institute said in a statement.
'Covid-19 won't go away but it will be easier to control in the future.'
During her 7:30 interview, the Premier blasted other state leaders for not following the roadmap laid out by the Doherty Institute for the National Cabinet.
Western Australia's Mark McGowan, Victoria's Dan Andrews and Queensland's Annastacia Palaszczuk have all voiced their concerns about reopening when Covid cases are soaring.
But Ms Berejiklian says their stance is not realistic in the midst of a pandemic.
'To suggest that living with Delta means zero cases is completely unrealistic. It won't happen anywhere else in the world,' she said.
An eerily quiet Fairfield Shopping Centre is seen shortly after curfew began in the 12 hotpot LGAs at 9pm on Monday (pictured)
Even a state that has zero cases for a long time it is going to have to open up its borders eventually. And whenever that happens you're going to see an influx of cases that's just how the virus works.
'No amount of government intervention or lockdown is going to get you to zero cases.'
Prime Minister Scott Morrison is also in favour of doing away with lockdowns and interstate border closures once the vaccine targets are reached, insisting that Australia cannot be stuck 'in the cave forever'.
'If not at 70 per cent and 80 per cent, then when? We must make that move and we must prepare to make that move and we must prepare the country to make that move,' he said.
'We have to break this cycle. The national plan is the way to cut through and for us to emerge from that. This groundhog day has to end... and we must will live with this virus as we live with other infectious diseases.'
To suggest that living with Delta means zero cases is completely unrealistic. It won't happen anywhere else in the world,' Ms Berejiklian said. A child goes for a late bike ride before Wentworth Point in the Parramatta LGA is subject to the 9pm-5am curfew
Meanwhile, NSW is also not expected to allow schools to return in September.
Health Minister Brad Hazzard said on Sunday ministers are working 'very, very closely' on a plan to open schools but said 'we are not there yet'.
The start of term four - October 5 - has been touted as a possible return date but Ms Berejiklian has not confirmed this.
Last week Police Minister David Elliot told Sunrise that the state government has been working on a re-opening plan for 'quite some time.'
'It makes sense, it makes perfect sense, it's exactly what the British government has done,' he said in reference to the UK's 'freedom day' when all Covid-19 rules were removed on July 19.
'This is something that a lot of people have been working very hard towards.
'We've got to make sure that we continue urging people to get the vaccine - and I can tell you that as member for a western Sydney electorate, the best way to motivate my constituents to get the vaccine is to tell them they'll be able to go to the pub soon,' he added.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison (pictured) is also in favour of doing away with lockdowns and interstate border closures once the vaccine targets are reached, insisting that Australia cannot be stuck 'in the cave forever'.
A police vehicle patrols the main street in the suburb of Merrylands as the 9pm curfew commences on Monday
Victorian Premier Mr Andrews tentatively backed the plan, saying: 'Every one of those appointments takes us a step closer in the race towards 70 per cent and then 80 per cent of our community having been vaccinated,' he said.
'That means we don't have to be locked down, certainly not state-wide, we don't have to have many of the rules that are essential and our only option at this time.'
But governments in Queensland and Western Australia have suggested they will ignore the plan and refuse to open up if cases are too high.
'The goalposts have changed,' said Queensland Premier Ms Palaszczuk on Monday.
WA Premier Mr McGowan said he would not hesitate to introduce targeted lockdowns if numbers continue to sure even at 80 per cent vaccination rates.
'Just because the NSW government has made a mess of it doesn't mean the rest of us should suffer,' he said.
'My view is we should do everything we can to stay in the state we are currently in, and at the same time vaccinate like hell.'
Fired-up Scott Morrison slams rogue states who threaten to keep Covid-19 restrictions beyond 70% jab rate and says we must live with the virus
A fired-up Scott Morrison has slammed rogue states who are threatening to keep Covid-19 restrictions even after high vaccination rates are achieved as he declared 'this Groundhog Day has to end'.
Queensland has joined Western Australia in threatening to maintain restrictions such as border closures even after 80 per cent of the population is vaccinated.
The move contradicts the re-opening plan, agreed by all premiers at National Cabinet, which says Australia will relax restrictions once 70 per cent are vaccinated and stop minimising cases once 80 per cent are jabbed.
The Prime Minister defended his plan - which is based on scientific modelling - in a press conference on Monday morning and said Australia must learn to live with Covid-19.
Sydney's lockdown will last until at least October. Pictured: Sydney residents exercising on Monday
'It does puzzle me - it puzzles me - why anyone would want to go against a plan that has been so carefully prepared,' he said.
Referring to lockdowns in Melbourne and Sydney, he said: 'This is not a sustainable way to live in this country, without those freedoms that we all cherish.'
And in a warning to overly cautious states, he said there is no alternative to opening up once vaccination rates are high.
'Because if not at 70 per cent and 80 per cent, then when? Then when?
'We have to deal with it. Otherwise we stay in the cave forever. That's not a sustainable solution,' he said.
'I understand people will be concerned that cases may rise... the task is not to delay, the task is not to fear, the task is to embrace, prepare, plan, ensure that we are in a position to [open up].'
The Prime Minister said that once 70 per cent of Australians are vaccinated then lockdowns will do more harm than good.
'There will be risk attached to [opening up], but there is also risk being stuck where we are. This Groundhog Day has to end,' he said in reference to the 1993 film where the lead character gets stuck in a repeating 24-hour cycle.
Mr Morrison said Labor was deliberately undermining the re-opening plan for its own political purposes. Anthony Albanese on Sunday falsely said the plan could only go ahead if Covid-19 case numbers were low.
Anti-lockdown protesters take to the streets of Melbourne on Saturday, August 21
Queensland Deputy Premier Steven Miles on Sunday said the state may keep its border closed to NSW if the southern state has high case numbers, regardless of vaccination rates.
'We're not going to get ahead of ourselves. We look to what's happening in New South Wales every day and adjust our posture accordingly,' Mr Miles said.
He falsely suggested the national plan was no longer valid because NSW was recording such high case numbers, with 830 on Sunday.
'We're signed up and committed to the plan that national cabinet endorsed but that was a plan that was endorsed before the New South Wales outbreak,' he said.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk also said there would be ongoing restrictions after 80 per cent are jabbed, claiming 'the goalposts have changed'.
Queensland has threatened to renege on the national re-opening plan. Pictured: Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk
'Our aim is always to suppress that virus but even 70 per cent and 80 per cent vaccination rates, as I have said and as is in the modelling as well, there will be some limited restrictions and some limited, or specified, lockdowns.'
The Prime Minster has been at pains to point out that the plan is not predicated on case numbers and can go ahead regardless of infection rates.
Victoria recorded 71 new cases on Monday, its highest total in the most recent outbreak, while NSW recorded 818 new infections.
Federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has even vowed to turn off financial support for any state that goes rogue and keeps trying to eliminate Covid even after 80 per cent are jabbed.
Mr Morrison refused to say if that was a bluff, dismissing the scenario as 'hypothetical'.
WA Premier Mark McGowan threatened to keep restrictions in place last week, telling Sky News: 'Our preferred option is zero Covid obviously and that's what we'll attempt to do.
'We don't want to have deaths and we don't want to have any spread of the virus.'
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