Cars were queued along Hannell Street at Wickham Tuesday as residents lined up in droves for a COVID test as reduced holiday operating hours continue over the holiday break until January 9.

Similarly, at the Gateshead testing clinic, cars were lined up at Harold Knight Oval back to the Newcastle Inner-city Bypass before the gates re-opened at 7.30am following closure from Saturday through Monday.

Meanwhile, changes to ATAGI-recommended wait periods between vaccine primary and booster doses, from five months to four moths, took effect Tuesday after state premiers and federal Labor urged the Coalition to slash wait times as COVID-19 cases exploded over Christmas.

It was announced on December 24 that wait times between second and third doses of the vaccine would be further reduced to three months on January 31.

As the health district recorded 1689 new cases, and the death of an elderly Toronto man overnight, queues at the Belmont vaccination hub stretched along the building as hundreds lined up in balmy 27-degree heat to receive their third dose.

Hunter New England Health's latest report on the district's COVID outbreak noted Tuesday that a man in his 70s, who had contracted the virus at the Kilpatrick Court aged care facility, had died at John Hunter Hospital.

"Our sincere condolences go out to his family and friends," Hunter New England Health said in a statement.

There are 8675 active cases in the region - 70 people are in hospital and six patients are in intensive care.

The Lake Macquarie (347), Maitland (233) and Newcastle (230) local government areas had the highest number of new cases.

Cessnock had 195, followed by Tamworth (137), Port Stephens (122), Mid Coast, (94), Singleton (79), Upper Hunter (56), Muswellbrook and Narrabri (42), Moree Plains (32), Armidale (27), Dungog (22), Gunnedah (10), Inverell (9), Liverpool Plains (7), Gwydir (3) and Uralla and Glen Innes (1).

Meanwhile, the state health authority took to social media on Monday to remind people that calling Triple Zero should be reserved for serious injuries or medical emergencies.

"You should not call Triple Zero (000) or attend a hospital emergency department if you want to get a COVID-19 PCR test," NSW Health said.

"Help ensure those who need emergency care can receive it by saving ambulances and emergency departments for saving lives."

It came as NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant on Monday conveyed the same message in her daily update.

"NSW Health has one of the largest work forces in the country ... and our staff are incredibly skilled and committed," she said.

"But we are seeing health systems around the world put under stress and whilst we are very well placed in that global context to manage that care burden, it is important we all play our part in not placing unnecessary burden on our health system."

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