Paul Bibby
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has promised to grant NSW residents ‘at least one extra freedom’ by the end of the week as the State reaches the government target of a 60 per cent single-dose vaccination rate.
Despite the state recording 753 locally acquired COVID cases in the 24 hours to 8pm, Ms Berejiklian was upbeat at this morning’s daily press conference.
‘I’m incredibly proud that in our darkest time we’re still moving forward,’ she said.
‘We’re looking at what we can do on Thursday or Friday in terms of rewarding our citizens.’
It is not clear what this easing of restrictions will involve, or whether it will apply to all NSW residents or only those who have been vaccinated.
It also appears that the lockdown more generally will continue into next week.
The Northern Rivers did not record any COVID doses yet again in the 24 hours to 8pm last night.
Of the 753 cases recorded in the rest of the state, the vast majority were in southwest and western Sydney.
Fortunately no deaths were recorded during the period, though there are 107 people in intensive care.
Deputy Premier John Barillaro said that in regional NSW, the state’s west remained a focus of concern.
There were 36 cases in the western NSW local health district in the 24 hours to 8pm, including 26 in Dubbo and 14 in Wilcania.
‘We want to keep vaccination rates in the regions high,’ Mr Barillaro said.
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