It was the state's deadliest day since the COVID-19 pandemic began. NSW recorded 30,062 new cases, with 1,927 people with COVID-19 in hospital, including 151 people in intensive care, and 38 on ventilators.

The Hunter New England Health region recorded 2,527 new cases, bringing the total number of active cases to 21,823. Of those, 106 were being cared for in hospital, and nine in ICU. In the Lower Hunter, there were 1,912 new cases, 472 from Lake Macquarie, 441 from Newcastle, 346 from Maitland, and 220 from Cessnock.

Nepean Hospital-based ICU specialist Dr Huong Nguyen said hospitals were consistently seeing a very small percentage of those contracting COVID being admitted to hospital, however, the patients who were admitted presented a "significant strain". "We can understand the anxiety in the community," she said.

From Monday, children aged five years and older are eligible for COVID-19 vaccinations, and in an effort to keep critical supply chains running smoothly, workers in the food logistics and manufacturing sectors identified as close contacts will be permitted to leave self-isolation to attend work if they have no symptoms of COVID-19.

Those workers must wear a mask and comply with risk-management strategies, including daily rapid antigen tests. The rules, effective immediately, also apply to critical workers in the agriculture, transport and postal sectors.

Mr Perrottet said the state had procured 50 million rapid antigen tests, bolstering the 50 million tests held in reserve, bringing the total to 100 million.

"These tests will be crucial to ensure that we get kids back to school day one, term one," he said. "We are finalising our back-to-school plans at the moment.

"This will be a core part of the plans [of] getting kids back in the classrooms. We are completely committed to doing that," he said.

The tests are for critical industries such as health care, aged care, people in social housing and Aboriginal healthcare services along with helping school get underway at the end of the month.

Registering a positive RAT result with Service NSW should become available in the coming days.

Deputy Chief Medical Officer Jeremy McAnulty said once people have a positive RAT they do not need a PCR test.

"If you have a rapid antigen test, you generally don't need to have a follow-up PCR test, so that will make it quicker and faster for people to know their status as well as relieving pressure on the testing system," he said.

"This is now equivalent to a PCR test, if you get a positive result you have to isolate for seven days and inform your family and household contacts."

Until January 27, singing and dancing will be prohibited in hospitality venues, entertainment facilities and major recreation facilities in NSW, excluding weddings and performances. This includes pubs, clubs, nightclubs, bars and restaurants.