Covid: regions will need to keep up

THE state has reached 72 percent first vaccination rate and 42 percent fully vaccinated.

Deputy Premier John Barilaro indicated it was unlikely the regions would emerge from lockdown at any stage soon and stressed the regions need to keep pace with vaccinations across the state.

“If it happens (lockdown lifted) it would be in a very restricted environment,” said Mr Barilaro.

“Those that are unvaccinated in regional and rural New South Wales, if they may have a freedom because they have been lifted from a restriction now will lose that freedom, I make that absolutely blunt and make that clear,” he said.

“The vaccination rates in regional and New South Wales have to continue to rise….on par with metropolitan Sydney and the rest of the state,” John Barilaro said.

There were 1480 cases diagnosed in the past 24 hours, 1136 people are now hospitalised, 194 are in intensive care, 78 people are being ventilated and 9 people have passed away. Of the people in ICU 158 are unvaccinated.

Of the people who have passed away there was:

• a man in his 20s
• a man in his 40s
• a man in his 60s from Dubbo
• a woman in her 60s
• two men in their 70s
• two men in their 80s and
• a man in his 90s

Of the people who died 7 were unvaccinated, 1 had received one dose of the vaccine and 1 had received 2 doses and all had underlying health conditions.

New cases in regional New South Wales:

• 24 Wollongong
• 17 Dubbo
• 15 Central Coast
• 7 Shellharbour
• 7 Wilcannia
• 6 Bourke
• 5 Lake Macquarie
• 4 Woodlands
• 3 Bathurst
• 3 Port Stephens
• 2 Newcastle
• 2 Shoalhaven
• 1 Kiama (under investigation)
• 1 Dungog
• 1 Mittagong
• 1 Cooma (since 8pm last night)
• 1 Batemans Bay (since 8pm last night)