Sydney's lockdown could end in five weeks with 70 per cent of NSW set to be vaccinated by September - as the three-word quip that sparked a war of words between Gladys Berejiklian and Daniel Andrews is revealed
- NSW is gearing up to vaccinate 70 per cent of population by early September
- Gladys Berejiklian said the state government is planning to break records
- About 4.5 million Pfizer does are fast-tracked to arrive in Australia in August
- New details emerge about what sparked Ms Berejiklian's and Mr Andrew's feud
Sydney's lockdown could be lifted as soon as September with NSW is on track to reach 70 per cent vaccination in just five weeks.
Cooped-up Sydneysiders are entering their sixth gruelling week of lockdown after NSW recorded 239 locally acquired cases on Sunday.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian, who has extended stay-at-home orders to at least August 28 as the latest outbreak explodes to 3,427 infections, said the state government has a plan to 'break records' as it ramps up its inoculation campaign.
'Once you get to 50 per cent vaccination, 60 per cent, 70 per cent, that triggers more freedoms. We can turn this around in four weeks,' she said on Sunday.
'We have the month of August to get the vaccination rates as high as possible. Let August be the month where we break records with the vaccination.'
NSW's vaccination rate currently sits at about 15 per cent for those who have received both jabs and 32 per cent for individuals who have received only one dose.
But with 82,000 doses distributed in 24 hours and 4.5million more Pfizer vaccines to be delivered to Australia in August, federal health officials are confident NSW could carry out about 650,000 jabs per week.
At that rate, NSW could hit its target of 70 per cent coverage by early September.
Sydney's Bondi Beach was teeming with people on Sunday, despite strict stay-at-home orders. The city's brutal lockdown could end by September if vaccination rates continue to increase
Return to freedom? NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has urged Australians to get the jab, saying more vaccinations 'triggers more freedoms'
Despite a worrying increase of 239 new Covid cases on Sunday, thousands flocked to Sydney's eastern suburbs to lap up the sun
One of Ms Berejiklian's biggest critics Victorian Premier Dan Andrews, became furious after the NSW leader made a barbed insult over two weeks ago, kickstarting a war of words
Ms Berejiklian's plea for Sydneysiders to get vaccinated comes amid reports she sparked a war of words with Premier Daniel Andrews after a three-word barb about his state's handling of the Covid crisis.
The remark came on July 15 when a reporter asked why NSW Health hadn't tightened the rules about who an essential worker was.
'Why not tighten the rules about who an essential worker is? Victoria did it very successfully.'
'No, they didn't,' shot back Ms Berejiklian.
Victorial Labor sources told The Australian's Diary the dismissive remark infuriated Mr Andrews and started a bitter back-and-forth between the pair.
Days after her comment, Andrews extended Victoria's fifth lockdown - saying it was to avoid a 'NSW-style long, very challenging lockdown where you just lose control of cases.'
When Ms Berejiklian pleaded with Victoria and other states for Pfizer vaccines, Mr Andrews responded by rejecting the request and saying there was a 'national responsibility to put a ring of steel around Sydney.'
Ms Berejiklian ignored his demand for a 'ring of steel', prompting the Victorian government to air adverts during the Olympics describing NSW as an 'extreme risk zone'.
Police are pictured patrolling Sydney's Coogee Beach to enforce Covid compliance on Sunday
Sydneysiders stop to pat a dog at Bondi Beach on Sunday despite strict lockdown rules
A woman dressed in black activewear goes for a job at Sydney's Coogee Beach with the city in lockdown
The encouraging increase in people getting vaccinated against Covid in NSW comes after a slow start due to the federal government's bungled jab rollout.
Scott Morrison's government in the early stages of the pandemic had relied on the AstraZeneca jab for the bulk of its inoculation campaign.
But those plans were thrown into disarray almost immediately in April when the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation advised that only over 50s should receive the shot due to the extremely remote risk of developing blood clots.
Shortly after the age cut off was increased to 60 but now with the highly contagious Indian Delta variant sweeping through Sydney, ATAGI advises that those aged over 18 speak to their GP.
While Australia has been lacking a viable alternative jab after the federal government failed to secure enough Pfizer doses, those problems will soon be solved.
There are 4.5 million shots of Pfizer which were scheduled to arrive in September, fast-tracked to land in Australia during August which is expected to see the nation's vaccination numbers increase from between 300,000 and 350,000 a week to over a million.
A St John Ambulance staff member registers a client arriving at a COVID-19 Vaccination Centre in the CBD on July 19, 2021 in Sydney, Australia
A woman receives her first Pfizer vaccination at the Inner City Covid-19 Vaccine Hub on July 01, 2021 in Sydney, Australia
Ms Berejiklian inferred that vaccination rates could be answer to lifting the dreaded lockdown on Sunday.
'There is no place in the world that has been able to live with the Delta virus and not have higher rates of vaccination. We have to be very clear about that,' she said.
'We want this to be the last lockdown we have and we can make that happen if we get vaccinated.
'Our strategy for NSW is to get vaccination rates to 60, 70, 80 per cent. That means we can live with the Delta variant and we won't have to go in and out of lockdown.'
She made a plea for Sydneysiders to get vaccinated amid the worrying case numbers.
'Today is August 1 and I am calling upon the people of greater Sydney, and NSW, to come forward and get vaccinated,' she said.
'To get to the 70 per cent target we need 9.2 million jabs. To get the 80 per cent target we need 10 million jabs. We have been talking about this in NSW for some time.'
The 80 per cent target has been set by the federal government as the key to reopening the border and scrapping state lockdowns.
Ms Berejiklian was grilled over reports young people are being told not to get the AstraZeneca vaccine by their GPs
But Ms Berejiklian was pressed by a reporter over concerns that young people were being turned down requests to get the AstraZeneca vaccine by their GPs.
'On the 20 to 30 age bracket, we are hearing stories of people wanted to get AstraZeneca, going to the GP and the GP says no, wait for Pfizer,' the reporter said.
'What are you doing about that because that messaging is very different and the message is consistently changing over months?'
Ms Berejiklian responded: 'The NSW Government always follows the advice of the federal health authorities.
'Of course, we ask ability to follow that health advice by the health advice in New South Wales is that if you are over 18, it is safe to get either vaccine.'
The state premier also responded to criticism after it was revealed that Pfizer doses would be redirected from regional communities to Year 12 students.
Central Coast residents have had their bookings cancelled at a vaccination hub in Belmore so their doses can go to students.
'It is only around 19,000 students,' Ms Berejiklian said. 'It is important for us to give those year 12 students a chance to finish their exams and get rewarded.'
'It's what they deserve and know that we are finding younger people are getting the virus and spreading it.'
A Syndeysider spends the day at Bondi beach as the city remains in lockdown amid growing Covid-19 cases
But Ms Berejiklian was pressed by a reporter over concerns that young people were being turned down requests to get the AstraZeneca vaccine by their GPs. Pictured: A woman in a face mask strolls through the streets of Sydney on July 31, 2021
Ms Berejiklian conceded it would be weeks before residents get their hands on the Pfizer jab after their bookings were cancelled.
She said the state had to prioritise Year 12 students as they prepared to take their Higher School Certificate and growing reports that some were too anxious to return to the classroom.
'Year 12 attaining those credentials is so important,' she said. 'We want to reduce their stress.'
'It is stressful and upsetting the HSC, let alone in a pandemic. It is stressful for parents and families and we want to make sure we provide those best opportunities in every way we can.
'We are doing a lot of work on not only how we can have some level of face to face for your 12 but also in a safe way.'
Students may have been pushed ahead of the line to receive Pfizer, but teachers will still have to get the AstraZeneca.
'Obviously, if you are a teacher or critical worker or any citizen, it doesn't matter what you are doing, you should be coming forward to get the vaccine,' she said.
'For all adults the AstraZeneca is now recommended.'
NSW Police conduct roadside checks along the M4 leading towards Anzac Bridge on July 31, 2021 in Sydney, Australia
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2021-08-01 16:29:54Z
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