NSW Premier warns residents to brace for a ‘difficult time’ ahead as the state begins to reopen

The Premier Dominic Perrottet has warned of a “difficult time” ahead as the state begins to open up from Monday.

NSW recorded 580 new locally acquired COVID-19 cases and 11 COVID-related deaths in the 24 hours to 8:00pm yesterday.

Mr Perrottet warned NSW residents to be prepared for more COVID-19 infections as restrictions were eased.

“That’s why we’ve done this in a safe way and ensured that we haven’t done so until we’ve had that vaccination rate where we wanted to be.”

The Premier said while health was his “number one concern”, he was keen to get businesses open again and as cases rise, “we will learn to live alongside the virus”.

The new Premier said he was taking a “more conservative” approach to the road map out of the pandemic compared to the federal government.

“We believe that our conservative approach here ensures that we keep people safe but importantly get people back to work as quickly as possible,” he said.

Dr Chant was asked if she was “comfortable” with the changes to the road map made under Mr Perrottet.

“The revised road map changes were formulated in the usual way where public health advice is put on the table,” she said.

She said she had personally briefed the Premier and presented her advice at this week’s meeting of the NSW crisis cabinet.

She said she would continue to give health advice to the government and was satisfied that the health advice was being considered.

“I am very appreciative that the government has given that a good airing,” she said.

Concern over rise of Hunter-New England cases

The Hunter-New England region has overtaken Western Sydney as a COVID hotspot of concern with more new cases and lower vaccination rates.

There were 98 new cases reported in the Hunter-New England area compared with 74 new cases in Western Sydney.

NSW Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant appealed for regional communities to be “vigilant” and said access to vaccinations had “increased markedly” in recent weeks.

Lord Mayor of Newcastle Nuatali Nelmes said there was a concern that vaccination rates in the region were well below those in Greater Sydney.

Overall, NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet announced the state was “close” to reaching 90 per cent first dose vaccinations for the over 16s.

Health authorities said the milestone was likely to be reached tomorrow or Monday.

No suggestion new Delta strain is more transmissible

Dr Chant said a new Delta strain detected in Sydney had been linked back to a person who had returned from overseas.

“The exact mechanism of how that strain emerged and got into the community in Western Sydney is still under investigation,” Dr Chant said.

Dr Chant said there was nothing to suggest the new strain was more transmissible.

“So in essence, it’s another Delta strain circulating in the community,” she said.

Case numbers in Broken Hill and Wilcannia in the state’s far west have been “settling” but Taree and Tamworth are of “increasing concern”.

There are currently 812 COVID-19 patients in NSW hospitals, with 163 people in intensive care.

Of the 11 people who died, one was in their 50s, one in their 60s, four in their 70s, two in their 80s and three in their 90s.

Four were unvaccinated, three had received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine and four had received one dose.

ABC