Covid numbers and children’s social bubble announced

THE state has reached 83.5 percent first vaccination and 53 percent second vaccination. Currently the state is predicted to reach 70 percent double vaccination at October 9, 80 percent on October 19 and 90 percent on October 30.

• A case of covid has been identified in Muswellbrook. Read: Covid case in Muswellbrook.

Children’s friendship bubble

The government has also announced there will be friendship bubbles for children, allowing three children to visit each other, in addition to the five visitors rule, as long as the adults in the households are both fully vaccinated.

Alysa, a 15 year old year 9 student said the bubble was important for children across the state.

“We want to do the right thing, but also see our friends,

“Zoom and Facbeook can only do so much during these times,

Alysa said many children were feeling demotivated to do school work and stay active because they were feeling isolated from their friends. She further added she was excited to be vaccinated and her friends had all expressed the same feeling of relief that they could be protected.

Read the detail of the new children’s bubble: NSW Health.

New lockdowns: Tweed, Byron and Kempsie areas will be going into lockdown today at 5pm, for seven days and will then be reviewed.

Marianne Gale, Deputy Chief Medical Officer, was asked why Tamworth was not going into lockdown and explained, “in some areas there may be a case but if they’re isolated….no broader exposure risk to the community a return to stay at home orders is not what we’d be recommending.”

Brad Hazzard, Minister for Health was asked what would happen in regional areas not in lockdown, where unvaccinated people can currently visit all venues, if when the 70 percent rule was introduced they would be able to continue moving freely.

Mr Hazzard responded, “we obviously need to work those issues out, but go and get vaccinated, it will solve the problem.”

Read: Why testing can actually avoid another lockdown.

Covid-19 numbers in the past 24 hours:

• 1,022 new cases diagnosed
• 1,266 people are hospitalised
• 244 people are in intensive care
• 118 people are being ventilated
• 10 people have passed away
  • 1 in their 50s
  • 1 in their 60s
  • 2 in their 70s
  • 5 in their 80s
  • 1 in their 90s
  • 6 were unvaccinated
  • 2 had one dose of the vaccine
  • 2 had received two doses