Covid update: High case numbers and not enough Pfizer

COVID-19 cases continue to rise in New South Wales, with 172 new local cases recorded up to 8pm last night and 60 people exposed to the community during their infectious period. 

Eighty-seven cases remain under investigation, 169 people are in hospital and 49 people are being treated in the Intensive Care Unit.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian refused to indicate when the lockdown would end, but acknowledged the number of infectious people in the community is, “not where we need it to be.”

“There’s no doubt the New South Wales Government does need to consider some difficult decisions,” the Premier said.

“I just ask everybody to just be a little more patient in terms of knowing what life beyond July 31 looks like,” she said.

“We don’t want people in the community infectious with the virus when we open up, because we’ve seen around the world . . . countries that have claimed to have done so well with Covid-19, which have much higher vaccination rates than ours, have failed with Delta because they opened up too quickly,” she said.

We’ve put in the hard yards for five weeks and we don’t want to waste all the great work we’ve done by opening too early,” she said.

“Even though it doesn’t get reported as much, but the fact that we prevented thousands of cases, is something we can at least cling onto, because we know that had we not done the hard yards, given how the virus is spreading and how fleeting the transmission can be, that we’ve done well under the circumstances compared to other places around the world,” said Ms Berejiklian.

New South Wales Health Minister Brad Hazzard said the state is still in dire need of more Pfizer supply, despite requesting additional vaccines from the Federal Government.

“The Federal Government has told us we’re going to get a certain amount over the next few weeks, but I’d like more right now. The government would like a lot more right now,” Mr Hazzard said.

“I understand from the Federal Government that there is a national stockpile, got no idea what’s in it, never been told,” he said.

Premier Berejiklian again urged eligible residents to book their vaccination. 

“We are told by the Federal authorities that by the end of October we will be awash with vaccines. We have a challenging six weeks until we get those rates of doses up and that’s why we’re encouraging people to come forward and get the AstraZeneca when they can,” Ms Berejiklian said.