October 11 is firming as the date people fully vaccinated against COVID-19 in NSW will come out of lockdown, although Premier Gladys Berejiklian says she is reluctant to use the phrase "freedom day".
Key points:
- Almost 85 per cent of adults in NSW have received a first vaccine
- There is concern about an increase in cases in the Illawarra with 103 new infections
- The Premier says she wants Sydney Airport to become the "gateway to the nation" once vaccination targets are met
NSW recorded 1,043 new locally acquired COVID-19 cases and 11 deaths in the 24 hours to 8:00pm yesterday.
Across NSW, 84.1 per cent of adults have now had a first dose of COVID-19 vaccine and 56.6 per cent have had both doses.
A third of 12-15 year olds in the state have received one dose.
Ms Berejiklian said communities in Western and south-western Sydney had done an "unbelievable job" in getting vaccinated.
"We saw vaccination rates go through the roof and in every local government area (LGA) of concern we have had at least 80 per cent of first doses," she said.
"In some communities, Blacktown and Campbelltown, we have had over 90 per cent and in Camden we have had over 95 per cent first dose and in Holsworthy, the Liverpool area, we have seen vaccination rates around 85 per cent first dose."
The Premier said there were now only seven LGAs that had not reached the 70 per cent vaccination rate.
An ABC analysis predicts NSW is on track to have 70 per cent of its population aged 16 or older double dosed on October 6, meaning fully immunised citizens will be given extra freedoms, like visiting hospitality venues or hairdressers, from Monday, October 11.
The ABC analysis shows the state will have 80 per cent of its citizens aged 16 or older fully immunised on October 16.
Meanwhile, Ms Berejiklian said the government's latest modelling showed there would only be a gap of a fortnight or "three weeks at a stretch" between reaching the 70 per cent and 80 per cent vaccination targets.
The Premier said she was "wary" of using terms like "freedom day" to discuss what would happen once vaccination targets were met.
"While we are all looking forward, almost a gallop to the finish line in terms of the double dose, we need to make sure that what we do at 70 per cent and 80 per cent is done cautiously," she said.
"It won't be perfect but we are confident will get the balance right."
The Premier warned that if restrictions were lifted too quickly there was a risk the health system would be overwhelmed.
"In October we do anticipate high rates of intensive care admission," she said.
"That is what we have to brace ourselves for."
NSW chief health officer Kerry Chant said she was "thrilled" by the uptake of vaccines in NSW but urged anyone who had not yet had a jab to come forward.
"I want to see us get to 90 per cent first dose by next week," she said.
She said health authorities were currently administering a high number of vaccines in the state's prisons.
"I am asking everyone to redouble their efforts over the next couple of weeks so that we leave no-one behind."
The Premier said once vaccination targets were met she would be happy to for the state to become the "gateway to our nation" and open up to more international arrivals.
"Once we get to that 80 per cent double dose, I would welcome having thousands and thousands of Australians come through Sydney Airport," she said.
"If airlines put on extra flights it would make me very happy."
Ms Berejiklian said the government was still considering how and when restrictions on regional travel and community sport would be lifted.
"We are confident we will get the balance right by giving people enough freedoms to enjoy the things that we've missed and making sure we reopen in a very responsible and cautious way," she said.
Health authorities said they were seeing a decline in cases in some of the LGAs of concern in Sydney, including Canterbury-Bankstown and Cumberland.
But there was concern about an increase in cases in the Illawarra, where 103 new cases have been reported.
Fragments of the virus have been found in sewage at Lightning Ridge in north-west NSW and at Jindabyne near the Snowy Mountains.
One of the 11 fatalities was a man in his 40s who died at his home in Western Sydney.
Ten people were unvaccinated, and one had received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine.
All had underlying medical conditions.
One of these people was a man in his 50s from Broken Hill, who died at Broken Hill Base Hospital.
Two of these people died at home and tested positive for COVID-19 after their deaths.
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2021-09-24 02:46:10Z
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