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Australia Covid update live: 1,259 cases, 12 deaths as NSW hits first dose vaccination milestone; western Sydney curfew lifted; 423 cases, two deaths in Victoria
Australia Covid update live: NSW hits first dose vaccination milestone; western Sydney curfew lifted; Victoria records 423 cases, two deaths
(32 minutes later)
Follow today’s news
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The NSW premier is now fielding a lot of questions about the legality of telling businesses they are not allowed to accept unvaccinated patrons.
Barr says the federal government has agreed to expand the current Covid-19 business support payments. Businesses who have already registered will automatically receive the topped up payments.
Berejiklian didn’t directly answer questions on if the government sort legal advice on the roadmap before publishing.
Barr:
ACT chief minister Andrew Barr is outlining the general shape of the territory’s roadmap out of lockdown once double vaccination rates of 70% and then 80% are achieved.
It seems clear that, just like NSW and Victoria, the ACT now views vaccination, not elimination, as the way out of lockdown.
Barr:
Speaking of the ACT, chief minister Andrew Barr says, as of today, 75% of the over-12 population in the territory have had at least one vaccine dose.
While that NSW press conference was going we got the ACT numbers.
The territory recorded 13 new local Covid-19 case, with only five in isolation for their entire quarantine period and eight have spent time in the commuity.
Now, as we know, from this weekend Queensland has opened up Pfizer vaccines for the over 60 cohorts (despite AstraZeneca not being recommended to younger people).
The NSW chief health officer, Dr Kerry Chant, says that NSW is not considering this at the present time.
Speaking of the possibility of regional towns locking down:
Reporter:
Reporter:
Berjiklian:
Reporter:
Berejiklian:
Berejiklian:
Reporter:
Reporter:
Berejiklian.
Chant has been asked if the region town of Young will be locked down now that the health department has identified an infected person who spent time there.
From her answer, it seems that option is still very much on the table.
Just ducking back for a second to revisit this point. I believe this is the first time that the NSW premier has confirmed her intentions to explicitly make it against the law for unvaccinated people to attend venues during the 70% vaccination period of the roadmap.
Questions about the legality of this are no doubt going to dominate conversations in the weeks to come.
Berejiklian:
Berejiklian:
Now you might remember that the federal treasuer, Josh Frydenberg, said it would be up to businesses to decide if they let unvaccinated patrons into their premises.
Well, it looks like in NSW, at least at the 70% vaccination level, this will not be the case.
NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian has hinted that communities with low vaccination rates, like Byron Bay, may not be given freedoms at the same time at the rest of the state if case numbers are high.
Reporter:
Berejiklian:
Here are the full details of those 12 Covid-19 related deaths in NSW from the health department release.
I have to say, it was extremely heart-wrenching having scroll down, as the list no longer all fits in the email previous page at once. I hope everyone in Sydney is doing as OK as they can be today.
Berejiklian says the lifting of curfews in the 12 LGAs is a “token of appreciation” for high vaccination turnout in the communities, but says it’s too risky to ease restrictions further.
Chant confirmed NSW is seeing “some stabilisation in the local government areas of concern” but urged people to keep pushing vaccination levels up.
Chant says an infectious person spent time in the regional communities of Wagga Wagga, Young and Mudgee, raising concerns of additional spread in those communities.
Here are the hospitalisation details.
Chant:
NSW chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant is giving the details of the 12 deaths of Covid-19 positive people in the last reporting period.
This is the most deadly day so far in the Delta outbreak.
Two people have also died from Covid-19 related illness in Victoria.
Berejiklian:
Berejiklian has announced that given the state has still reached an 80% single-dose vaccination rate, the curfew on the 12 LGAs of concern will lift tonight.
NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian is speaking now. She has confirmed the state has recorded local Covid-19 cases.
Sadly 12 people infected with Covid-19 have also died.
OK, apologies for the wrong list before, here is the correct list of the new federal Greens portfolios.
We are just standing by now for the NSW press conference where premier Gladys Berejiklian is expected to speak.
That will start any minute.
An important correction to that Victorian Liberals press release.
They are only calling for the curfew to end immediately, not the whole lockdown.
Thoughts and prayers for the media manager who will no doubt be having a really bad day from here.
Oh gosh, the Victorian opposition is out and about again today, headed by their new (old) leader Matthew Guy.
Premier Daniel Andrews has promised to release the state’s roadmap to freedom on Sunday, but the Liberal side says this isn’t soon enough.
They say lockdown must end immediately, VCE students should return to the classroom asap and small outdoor family gatherings should be allowed.
