Another case in Singleton – unidentified transmission

THE state has reached 85 percent first dose, 59.25 percent double dose and 37 percent of 12 to 15 year old have had their first dose. Based on the current trend the state will reach 70 percent double vaccination on October 6, 80 percent on October 15 and 90 percent on October 25. Further, when the state reaches 70 percent double vaccination it is predicted first vaccinations will reach 90 percent.

Local snapshot: Another case has been identified in Singleton, Health are still investigating if they were infectious in the community and at this stage the source of their infection is unknown. The Imperial Hotel in Singleton has been identified as a venue of concern. Please see information at the end of this story for the details of who may be  considered a close or casual contact. Also, Muswellbrook sewerage has tested positive to the virus for the first time, which is consistent with known cases being in the Muswellbrook.

The Premier said the roadmap for 80 percent will be announced later this week and foreshadowed Sydney opening up to the regions at that stage.

“We want all of greater Sydney to have access to the regions at the same time and therefore we need to pick the best time for that to occur, so I do want to foreshadow that could very well be at 80 percent but we’re only anticipating that there will be two to three weeks between 70 percent and 80 percent double dose,” said Premier Gladys Berejiklian.

The Premier said the roadmap will outline when unvaccinated people would have the full rights of vaccinated people, but it would not be at 70 percent.

“Reopening will be a step by step process and it will take a couple of weeks to a month from starting to open up and then what living with covid will look like,

“In New South Wales it is definitely safe to book for Christmas and to look at November as the month you can have a trip to regional New South Wales,” she said.

The government continues to assess vaccination rates and hospitalisations as the key drivers for restrictions being implemented or eased and the Premier warned that if there were outbreaks in specific towns, suburbs or regions then restrictions of movement would need to occur, but it would be on a case by case basis.

The decision for when QR codes will no longer be necessary is also being considered by government, but it is unlikely to occur until “at least December.”

Covid case numbers:

• 964 infections
• 222 people are in ICU
• 117 require ventilation
• 9 people have died
  • 1 person in their 40s
  • 2 people in their 60s
  • 2 people in their 70s and
  • 4 people in their 80s
  • 8 of the people who died were unvaccinated and 1 had received one dose of a vaccine

Regional covid numbers by local district health service:

• 82 Nepean Blue Mountains
• 75 Illawarra Shoalhaven
• 45 Hunter New England
• 36 Northern Sydney
• 30 Central Coast
• 21 Western NSW
• 11 Southern NSW
• 5 Far West
• 2 correctional settings
• 4 cases yet to be assigned to an LHD.

Hunter New England Health Distrcit covid numbers: