Cases rise but NSW touts the possibility of opening up regions and schools

COVID-19 cases continue to mount with NSW recording 1,480 local Covid-19 cases overnight and nine COVID-19 related deaths.

There is no decision so far on whether the NSW regional areas will come out of lockdown on Friday but Deputy NSW Premier John Barilaro said that it was most likely that areas that have no COVID-19 cases would.

Snap lockdowns

However, he warned that ‘If a case arises we will put that area into lockdown for 14 days’.

‘The opening of the regions, if it happens, will be in a very restrictive environment,’ he said.

Return to school

They said they were also looking at the plan on the safe way to return to school.

‘The plan is based on the safe way to return to school,’ said NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian.

Dr Kerry Chant pointed out that in the June–July period that of the 9,000 education facilities in NSW there were ‘cases of COVID in 51 education facilities’.

Ms Chant said that the majority did not have any onward spread of virus and the highest spread was in unvaccinated adult staff. She also said that the highest spread of the Delta virus was in households and was primarily driven by unvaccinated adults.

Vaccination

Vaccination was opened up to children from 12. However, one Northern Rivers resident, who asked not to be named, said when they went to book their children in they were told they could not get an appointment for any vaccination until January 2022.