"The virus . . . is not going away," he said in one interview. "We have to learn to live alongside it."

Now, three months later, Mr Perrottet is premier, and the real-world implications of "living with COVID" will soon become much clearer.

IN THE NEWS:

Latest figures show 89.4 per cent of people aged 16 and over have had one shot of vaccine in NSW, with 70.3 per cent fully vaccinated.

Vaccination rates vary markedly from region to region and the Hunter is one area that may fall short of the nominal 70 per cent rate accepted by the government as sufficient community protection to allow "the first steps towards reopening the state", timed to start on Monday.

As those keeping regular tabs will know, case numbers are dropping noticeably in Sydney, but trending the wrong way in our region, where our 83 cases represent 14.1 per cent of yesterday's state total of 587.

The situation is deteriorating rapidly in Victoria, with 1638 cases yesterday - almost triple the NSW total.

Victorian Premier Dan Andrews says his state will reopen on October 26 with the same trigger of 70 per cent. Victorian vaccinations yesterday stood at 84.1 per cent single-dosed and 55.6 per cent fully inoculated.

But as the world is learning, double-dosed does not guarantee full protection against this pernicious virus.

State and federal leaders have worked hard to try to prepare the public for an unavoidable and potentially dramatic increase in case numbers once the roadmap changes roll back the shutters that have minimised movement in affected regions for months on end.

COVID has proved itself remarkably resistant to any sort of "crystal ball" predictions and the new premier will have to draw on his persuasive strengths in the coming weeks, especially if our hospitals and their intensive care units are flooded with the seriously ill and the dying.

COVID DEVELOPMENTS:

Hopefully, most of those vaccinated will experience only mild symptoms.

But even an 80 per cent vaccination rate leaves millions of Australians fully exposed.

We are now just days away from entering uncharted and life-threatening waters.

In currents that could mean shifting course, quickly, and with little warning.

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