Covid: Lock down timeframes for Sydney and regional

THERE were an additional 642 cases identified in the past 24 hours and four more people have died.

Dr Kerry Chant chief medical officer, said they recommend people who have had one dose of Astra Zeneca to only leave four weeks between the first and second dose, in light of the growing risk of covid.

Premier Berejiklian announced the Greater Sydney lock down will continue until the end of September, while regional NSW will be until August 28 and the Central Coast and Shellharbour areas will be included in regional NSW. 

Masks are now mandatory across all of the state when you are outside, except when you are actively exercising. When exercising you still need to carry a mask with you and use it when you stop actively exercising. 

More than 5.6million vaccinations have been given in New South Wales and the Premier has said once 6million vaccinations have been delivered some people will be given concessions and plans will be released next week said but did not indicate the concessions. 

The Premier also advised they will be releasing a plan for schools and concessions for reaching vaccination targets next week, but stressed childcare numbers were very high and the aim should be to only send children to daycare if you absolutely had to and the aim should be for numbers to be similar to school attendance which is one to three percent of attendance.

The Premier said she understood many families need to send their children to care and would be supported, but to consider if it is essential.

Regional spread:

There were 27 new cases identified in western NSW in the past 24 hours bringing the total to 194 active cases in the region. Across regional areas of the state the following cases were identified:

• 21 cases in Dubbo
• 3 Central Coast
• 3 Wilcannia (with an additional 3 cases overnight)
• 2 Goodooga
• 2 Bourke
• 2 Gilgandra
• 2 Bourke (reported overnight)
• 2 Newcastle
• 2 Queenbeyan
• 2 Goulburn
• 1 Maitland
• 1 South Kempsey

The virus has been identified in sewerage testing in: Cobar, Port Macquarie, Parkes, Coonamble and Bellambi.

Statewide hospitalisations

Dr Chant reported there are currently 478 people hospitalised with Covid-19, including 80 in intensive care; of the people in intensive care the vast majority were unvaccinated and the remaining had only received one dose of the vaccination. 

There were four deaths in the past 24 hours including: two women in their 80s, a man in his 80s who had received one dose of the vaccine and a man in his 70s who had only received one dose.

Police report: There were more than 800 tickets issued for people breaching health orders in the past 24 hours. Three men were caught outside their own LGA, in Drummoyne, walking at 3am who claimed they were exercising. Police issued them with $17,000 worth of infringement notices.