LOCKDOWNS and tighter restrictions could be on the way for NSW, after the state recorded 172 new locally acquired cases of COVID-19, with 60 people infectious while in the community.
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Another 19 people were in the community for part of their infectious period.
It's a long way from the "close to zero" target that NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has said will allow restrictions to ease across the state.
"There's no doubt that number needs to come down," Ms Berejiklian said.
"We know the strategy of restrictions and vaccinations will be our recipe for freedom.
"We have our own course here in NSW and a mission to keep our community safe, but also to make sure we can live life more freely."
The premier hopes to make an announcement on Wednesday about what the restrictions would look like after July 31.
"I'm looking forward to the day we can live as freely as we did before this outbreak," she said.
"There is no doubt the NSW Government needs to consider some difficult decisions.
"We don't want people infectious in the community when we open up.
"We know we have put in the hard yards for five weeks and we don't want to waste all the hard work we've done by opening up too early."
COVID vaccination NSW
The premier said from Wednesday, people over 18 in Sydney will be able to get the AstraZeneca vaccines from pharmacies.
From Friday, state vaccine centres would also begin accepting bookings for people over 18 to have the AstraZeneca vaccine.
There were 85,000 people tested in NSW in the 24 hours to 8pm Monday.
Health Minister Brad Hazzard said "we need more Pfizer".
"The federal government did their best... I would have liked more Pfizer to be available, in hindsight," he said.
"Now we are entirely dependent on the federal government supplies of the vaccine. We know we will not have enough Pfizer in the next few weeks to do what we really could do in the hubs."
Dr Jeremy McAnulty said of the new cases, 87 were linked to known cases or clusters.
There are now 171 patients in NSW hospitals with COVID-19. Of those, 46 are in intensive care, and 19 are ventilated.
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Anita Beaumont
Anita Beaumont is a health and general news reporter at the Newcastle Herald.
Anita Beaumont is a health and general news reporter at the Newcastle Herald.
