Why Gladys will open up at ‘worst time’

The state has had another dip today with 1220 new cases – but tragically, the death toll has risen by eight overnight.

It comes after 1281 new cases and five deaths were recorded yesterday, with reports staff within the hospital system are growing increasingly anxious about the surge to come.

But despite that surge, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian is sticking to her guns and planning to begin reopening once the 70 per cent vaccination target is reached, a move backed by Prime Minister Scott Morrison himself.

This live blog has now ended. Read below for the main updates from the day.

You can find Victoria’s Covid blog here.

Why Gladys will open up at ‘worst time’

Ms Berejiklian has doubled down on plans to reopen to the double vaxxed once we reach 70 per cent – despite that looming spike we’ve been warned about.

She told reporters today a peak in numbers wouldn’t affect that plan.

“There’s no doubt there’s challenges ahead. But this is the strategy that we know will see NSW through this difficult period,” she said.

“This is part of the challenge of living with Covid and part of the challenge that every state has to go through. And interestingly, vaccine supply was made available to us during the worst outbreak that NSW has seen and Australia has seen.

“And coincidently, the worst time in hospitalisation is likely to be the time that we open up. But that shouldn’t stop us from proceeding with what is a safe thing to do.

“We know that living with Covid is challenging for everybody around the world. But we have a very planned and safe approach. And we are confident that the people of NSW will welcome those freedoms they’ll experience once we get to those high rates of vaccination.”

That sentiment was backed up by the PM this afternoon during an interview with Sky’s Keiran Gilbert, with Mr Morrison saying the mental health toll of lockdowns for young Australians was “to the point of unbearability”.

“Lockdowns will do more harm than good once we go past 80 per cent,” he said.

“70 per cent gives the opportunity for a soft opening.

“There’s no freedom day, that’s not what this is about. This is about a smart way to ease into that living with the virus stage above 80 per cent.”

NSW Police make jabs mandatory for all staff

NSW Police has announced all employees will now be required to be vaccinated for Covid-19 in light of the Delta outbreak.

Corporate Services Deputy Commissioner Karen Webb APM said the risk of transmission as well as the consequences of exposure of the virus posed a substantial risk to all staff.

“We know that the Delta strain of this virus poses a significant risk to police officers and staff. Each day, we ask our officers to front up and perform their vital policing functions in this extremely challenging environment,” Deputy Commissioner Webb said.

“The only way to face that risk is by ensuring that Covid-19 vaccines are administered to all staff.”

Under the new rules, all NSW Police Force members must have received at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine by September 30, and two by November 30.

How to prove you’ve been jabbed

The Premier revealed today that NSW’s widely-used check-in app will act as a vaccine passport in the weeks ahead as the state begins to reopen.

She said a person’s vaccination status would be readily available on the app on their phone, making it easier for venues and the individuals themselves.

“The system NSW is developing means when you check into a cafe or a restaurant with your QR code, it will show your vaccination status and the check-in capacity in the one app,” she said.

“What already exists is anyone can go through the Medicare website and download a proof of vaccination.

“That will is what people are asked to do when they’re going out for a picnic or gathering outdoors as we’ve indicated from next Monday.

“So I just wanted to make that distinction.

“The Medicare application is available now.

“But for convenience sake, NSWs is developing our own product, if you check in anywhere at those venues that only allow vaccinated people, you will have your vaccination status poll upon.”

Sydney’s incredible vax rates

Ms Berejiklian kicked off her presser this morning by announcing the “pleasing” news NSW’s average for first doses is now over 74 per cent – and that some LGAs of concern were smashing that average.

“In some of our hot spot local government areas the first dose average is just amazing,” she said.

“Blacktown is over 85 per cent first dose, Camden is over 82 per cent, Parramatta is over 81 per cent, Canterbury-Bankstown is over 76 per cent and Dubbo is over 77 per cent.

“We’re really pleased with those results and we ask people to keep coming forward and of course our message is, don’t be left behind. Obviously when these local government areas are in the high 80s, and the state average is 74 per cent, that means some areas are falling behind.”

19 new cases in the ACT

The ACT has recorded 19 new Covid cases overnight.

Just 11 were in isolation for their entire infectious period.

Gladys fires up over ICAC grilling

This morning’s presser took a fiery turn at one point, with the Premier refusing to answer a reporter who asked if she was under investigation by the ICAC.

“That’s a matter for the agency to do their important work. It would be inappropriate for anyone to comment publicly on that work,” she said.

But the questioning persisted, with a reporter asking: “You have previously commented you’re not under investigation. By the ICAC. Why do you no longer say that?”

“I have said this is a consistent response, it is not appropriate for anyone to comment on activity that the integrity agency is undertaking. I have nothing to add,” the Premier replied.

She also denied being a “person of interest”.

“These are matters for the integrity agency. I have never commented on matters relating to their investigation. That’s for them to undertake,” she said.

NSW can reach 90 per cent vaccination

NSW CHO Dr Kerry Chant revealed she believes the state can achieve a 90 per cent vaccination rate, far above the target of 80 per cent.

“I actually think that we can. Maybe I’m being too optimistic, but I actually think we can,” she said.

“And what I would like the community to do is to be with us. I would love to see us get over 80 per cent by early next week and I think we can do it. And I like to see those numbers pushed up as high as we can.

“We’ve got access to incredibly effective vaccines. Yes, will we need boosters? Of course we will. There will be new variants? Yes. But we’ve a great system for administering vaccines, for giving our boosters, and we generally are a very – a community that embraces the opportunities afforded by vaccines in preventing infectious diseases.”

Death toll rises by eight

Sadly, there were eight new Covid deaths recorded overnight.

They include an unvaccinated woman in her 70s with underlying health conditions, an unvaccinated man in his 90s from southeastern Sydney who died at St George Hospital with underlying health conditions, an unvaccinated man in his 50s from Nepean Blue Mountains, a fully vaccinated gentleman in his 90s from southwestern Sydney who died at Campbelltown Hospital, an unvaccinated woman in her 70s from southwestern Sydney who died at Nepean Hospital, an unvaccinated man in his 70s from southwestern Sydney who died at Liverpool Hospital, an unvaccinated man in his 80s from Western Sydney who died at Westmead Hospital and a man in his 60s from Nepean Blue Mountains who died at home who had one dose of the Covid vaccine.

NSW records 1220 new cases

It has been another grim day for NSW, with the state recording 1220 new cases.

When NSW will be free

Ms Berejiklian was grilled by reporters earlier about when she expected to reach the 70 per cent vaccination rate, which will allow the state to reopen.

She said freedom day would be coming in October.

“I’m very keen to make sure as soon as we have done the work and Health had the appropriate input we make our road map public,” she said.

“We are looking forward to hitting 70 per cent double dose in October and I can’t stress enough now we’re encouraging people to not get left behind.

“Those things that we’ll all miss are only available to those who are vaccinated. I don’t want to put a date on it tome. We’re still working on the detail. But it would be important to note that we’ve done a lot of work towards that already.”

Cases spread in regions

Deputy premier John Barilaro gave his daily regional update as well, revealing 18 of today’s cases were in Dubbo, with three in Bourke, one in Orange, three in Narromine, one in Walgett in the far west, two in Wilcannia and two in Broken Hill.

There were also 14 cases in the Illawarra, 11 cases in the Wollongong LGA and three in the Shellharbour local government area.

In Southern NSW, these were the two cases announced yesterday, one in Batemans Bay and one in Cooma.

“The Central Coast has seen a spike of 22 cases and we’re calling out on that community to be vigilant, to get tested, and make sure we continue to see vaccination rates go up. They’re slightly below the state average,” he said.

“In the Hunter, seven new cases. Two in Port Stephens, two in Lake Macquarie and one in Maitland, the MidCoast local government area, and one in the Newcastle local government area.

“As in the Southern Highlands, two cases, one in Mittagong and one in Exeter. A call out to everyone in the regions to remain vigilant.”

Fury over ScoMo’s Father’s Day trip

There is mounting fury today after it was revealed that Prime Minister Scott Morrison was granted an exemption to fly to Sydney from Canberra for Father’s Day in a taxpayer-funded VIP flight during lockdown.

The news was broken by news.com.au, and came despite prohibitions that require anyone visiting Sydney to isolate on return to Canberra for 14 days.

The exemption has been lashed by the ALP, with Labor’s home affairs spokeswoman Kristina Keneally branding it unfair.

“It’s lovely that Mr Morrison was able to spend Father’s Day with his daughters and I am sure they were happy to see him, but millions of Australians are in lockdown, separated from their families everyday,” she said, according to The Daily Telegraph.

“Now that Mr Morrison is back in Canberra I hope he spends his time setting up quarantine that keeps us safe, and getting the vaccine rollout fixed.”

The PM’s jaunt comes as thousands of Australians remain separated from their own loved ones due to Covid border closures, and the decision was also slammed by Labor’s Bill Shorten on Today this morning.

“I think Mr Morrison has exercised poor judgment in this case, I was a bit surprised when I read he had done this to be honest,” Mr Shorten said.

“It’s not that he doesn’t deserve to see his kids but so does every other Australian. And I think when your people are doing it tough, you’ve got to do it tough too.

“You can’t have one rule for Mr Morrison and another rule for everyone else. I just think it’s appalling judgment.”

Victoria records 246 cases

Victoria has experienced another grim day with 246 new cases, the same number as yesterday, making it the state’s equal worst day for 2021.

Of those local cases, 90 are linked to known cases and outbreaks and the remainder are under investigation.

Suburbs where pubs will reopen first

NSW is gearing up to reopen to the fully vaxxed within weeks, meaning a trip to the pub will finally be more than just a daydream.

But according to 9 News, that luxury will only be rolled out to a handful of lucky suburbs initially, centred in areas with high vaccination rates and low Covid case numbers.

The network revealed that the likely suburbs in question could include Mosman, North Sydney, Hunters Hill and the LGA of Ku-ring-gai, which includes the suburbs of Roseville, St Ives, Wahroonga, Pymble, Lindfield and Turramurra.

Those areas are set to be part of a trial early next month of the new vaccine passports, which will be linked to the Service NSW app.

‘Wildcard’ that could crush NSW

There’s a lot of talk today about how the health system will cope with that looming surge in cases and hospitalisations – and according to one expert, one crucial factor could derail everything.

Speaking to ABC News Breakfast, Dr Norman Swan said it all came down to protecting health staff in order to protect the wider population.

“Well, the wildcard here is whether infection gets into hospitals and spreads to staff. And as Melburnians know, you can have large numbers of people furloughed,” he said.

“You have had a little bit of that in NSW. But if you got a Royal Melbourne Hospital situation with hundreds of staff furloughed, you really could be struggling to achieve that.

“That’s the problem, that you’ve actually got to protect staff to be able to protect the system. And the guidelines in NSW still do not fully, adequately compensate for ventilation issues and that will be a huge stress on the system.”

Hospital staff ‘scared’ over looming spike

NSW’s health system is on edge as staff await a surge in cases and hospitalisations likely to hit mid-month, with up to 3900 people expected to need hospitalisation then.

It comes as newly-released modelling announced yesterday show the worst is yet to come, with NSW AMA president Danielle McMullen telling the ABC ICU staff were growing increasingly concerned.

“Staff are scared, they are tired, and they are already worried they are going to be bringing Covid home to their families,” she said.

“We know the weeks ahead are going to be bad and that we all need to pull together, but what are we going to do to make sure there is another side to come out of?”

It comes as hundreds of ICU nurses across NSW signed an open letter to the Premier, warning the system was “in crisis”.

The letter also demanded the standard ratio of one nurse to each patient in the ICU remain, amid fears hospitals could be forced to set up makeshift ICU wards in operating theatres and require staff to look after several patients at the same time, with the number of Covid patients in ICUs is expected to triple in the weeks ahead.

READ MORE

NSW’s staggering Pfizer haul revealed

New data has revealed just how many doses of Pfizer NSW managed to get its hands on ahead of the other states and territories.

The ABC is reporting that while the state received 32 per cent of the national Pfizer stockpile in late June, by August, that figure had skyrocketed to 45 per cent.

At the same time, the share that went to Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia dipped below what they should have received.