Hunter New England Health provided data that showed Edgeworth had recorded the most cases in the region with 20 (15 in aged care), then Jesmond with 17 (six in aged care).

Shortland had 11, East Maitland 10 and Raworth 7, while Wallsend, Cardiff and New Lambton Heights had six cases each. [See more suburb numbers below]

Dominic Iacono, a director of Jesmond Fruit Barn, said "we're at the epicentre".

"There's not many people on the road. It's pretty quiet. There's not many people coming into the shop," Mr Iacono said.

"Most of the people are pretty good. You get one or two who don't want to wear a mask. The government should have something on their phones saying they're exempt. They just have a piece of paper saying their [health condition], but it doesn't say they're exempt.

"It's a day-by day thing now. We're lucky because we're online, so people can shop online and we deliver."

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Monday that the goal was "to live with this virus, not to live in fear of it".

"If not at 70 per cent and 80 per cent [vaccination rates], then when?" Mr Morrison said.

Newcastle-based viral immunologist Associate Professor Nathan Bartlett said it would be a "different ball game" once the NSW and federal governments ease restrictions.

Dr Bartlett, of Hunter Medical Research Institute and the University of Newcastle, said "opening up at 70 to 80 per cent vaccination rates is just the beginning".

"Even with a vaccinated population, Delta will begin to circulate in Newcastle, as it will everywhere and as it's done all around the world.

"Then we need to learn to live with the virus. There will be complex, ongoing efforts from doctors, medical staff, researchers, health care, aged care, employers, you name it. All levels will have to be involved.

"With free movement and all other restrictions removed, look to Israel, the UK and the US and you'll see exactly what will happen."

The vaccines were "highly effective at preventing severe disease and death".

As the virus circulates, "the issue becomes who's going to be at risk?"

"It will be those who are unvaccinated, those for whom the vaccine doesn't work as well - so the elderly and the immunosuppressed."

Dr Bartlett said kids would become infected and spread the virus.

So far in Australia, only children aged 12 to 15 with specific medical conditions or an Indigenous background can get a vaccine

A friend of Dr Bartlett's from London, who is fully vaccinated, got the virus when his kid brought it home from school.

"He's in his late 40s. It's been a month since he got COVID. He still has brain fog. His taste and smell are still not right. This is the sort of thing we'll be dealing with once we open up. Hopefully there will be an antiviral in future to shorten the duration of infection and reduce ongoing, long-term effects."

COVID-19 cases by suburb in the Hunter

Ashtonfield-3 [Maitland]

Barnsley-2 [Lake Macquarie]

Birmingham Gardens-5 [Newcastle]

Bolton Point-1 [Lake Macquarie]

Bolwarra Heights-2 [Maitland]

Bonnells Bay-2 [Lake Macquarie]

Callaghan-4 [Newcastle]

Cardiff-6 [Lake Macquarie]

Charlestown-1 [Lake Macquarie]

Cliftleigh-3 [Cessnock]

Cooks Hill-2 [Newcastle]

East Branxton-3 [Cessnock]

East Maitland-10 [Maitland]

Edgeworth- 20 (15 in aged care) [Lake Macquarie]

Elermore Vale-12 [Newcastle]

Hamilton-1 [Newcastle]

Heddon Greta-1 [Cessnock]

Islington-1 [Newcastle]

Jesmond- 17 (6 in aged care) [Newcastle]

Largs-3 [Maitland]

Mayfield-1 [Newcastle]

Medowie-4 [Port Stephens]

Merewether-1 [Newcastle]

Mount Hutton-2 [Lake Macquarie]

New Lambton-1 [Newcastle]

New Lambton Heights-6 [Lake Macquarie]

North Lambton-2 [Newcastle]

Raworth-7 [Maitland]

Raymond Terrace-4 [Port Stephens]

Rutherford-4 [Maitland]

Shortland-11 [Newcastle]

Tenambit-4 [Maitland]

Teralba-3 [Lake Macquarie]

Thornton-1 [Maitland]

Toronto-1 [Lake Macquarie]

Wallsend- 6 [Newcastle]

Warners Bay-2 [Lake Macquarie]

West Wallsend-1 [Lake Macquarie]

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