Health Minister Brad Hazzard says the COVID-19 Delta outbreak is helping break down vaccine hesitancy as Belmont's mass vaccination hub prepares to start administering the Pfizer vaccine from Monday.
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The hub, in a disused Bunnings hardware store, will have the capacity to deliver 20,000 jabs a week, replacing the John Hunter Hospital vaccination centre.
People who had vaccine appointments at the John Hunter are receiving texts changing their booking location to Belmont.
Thousands of people have signed up for vaccines at the hub, despite technical problems on the booking website early this week.
The month-old Sydney outbreak has been largely contained to the greater metropolitan area and, just like it did last year, the Hunter has skated through this wave untouched so far.
But Mr Hazzard and Premier Gladys Berejiklian remain wary of how easily the new variant can spread.
Mr Berejiklian said on Friday that it was unlikely regional NSW restrictions, including compulsory masks indoors, the four-square-metre rule and limits on visitors, would be lifted before the Sydney lockdown ended.
"The regions have done exceptionally well in not having cases," she said. "We need to keep it that way."
She urged Sydney people not to "sneak out" after NSW Police Deputy Commissioner Gary Worboys said some continued to "disguise" trips as business while towing caravans or toting camping gear.
Mr Hazzard told reporters that a "silver lining" of the Delta outbreak had been its effect on vaccine demand.
"Five weeks ago or six weeks ago, all of you were asking me questions about how we were getting people wanting to be vaccinated. Now they are lining up," he said.
"The challenge remains that we need more vaccine."
Greater Sydney's lockdown is scheduled to end on July 30, but sustained high levels of new cases who were infectious in the community could extend stay-at-home orders into August.
NSW recorded 97 new cases in the 24 hours to 8pm on Thursday, 29 of whom were in the community until testing positive.
Another 17 were in the community for some of their infectious period until returning a positive test.
"That number of people who were infectious [in the community] keeps going up," Ms Berejiklian said.
Of 75 cases in hospital, 18 are in intensive care and five are on ventilators.
The latest positive tests pushed the Sydney outbreak past 1000 confirmed cases.
Victoria entered a five-day, statewide lockdown at midnight on Thursday in response to new cases and exposure sites which include Wallabies and AFL games.
The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation recommends the Pfizer vaccine for those aged 16 to 59, but the AstraZeneca vaccine can be provided to people in that age range.
Everyone aged 40 years or more is now eligible for vaccination. People aged 16 to 39 are eligible under certain circumstances.
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