Here’s the major stories we’ve covered today on the virus and business reaction:

• NSW ‘won’t hesitate to go harder’ as cases spike NSW will consider moving to an even harder lockdown due to “incredible concern” that a third of almost 100 new cases were among the community while infectious.

• Sydney recorded 97 new local cases on Friday, up significantly from 65 on Thursday, and 29 were in the community for the whole period they were infectious, up from 28.

• NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said given how many people were infectious in the community, she expected tomorrow’s cases “will be greater than what we saw today”.

• COVID-19 lockdowns a ‘mass sacrificial event’ University of NSW economist Gigi Foster accused her own profession of being AWOL in the debate about the harm caused by pandemic lockdowns.
• Australia can avoid lockdowns in four months: Coatsworth Australia can consider ending lockdowns once 50 per cent of people are vaccinated in November and must accept some COVID-19 hospitalisations and deaths like it does for influenza.
• Banks on high alert: This is not over yet Banks are reporting a small increase in inquiries from customers in hardship but are ready to snap into action if the situation deteriorates.

Around the world:

• In Britain, the herd immunity experiment the whole world is watching Boris Johnson promised that mass vaccination would free Britain for summer, but as case numbers soar the ‘new normal’ is proving something short of freedom.
• The developing world is a tinderbox Horrifying violence in South Africa and unrest in Cuba, Haiti and other nations have a common thread: the COVID-19 pandemic is pushing vulnerable societies to the brink.
• Vaccine foundations look shaky in Asia’s virus epicentre Indonesia has largely relied on the CoronaVac vaccine developed by China, but there are growing questions over its effectiveness against the delta strain of COVID-19.
• Biden, Xi look to put aside tensions at special virus summit Leaders from the 21-economy APEC bloc will meet virtually to discuss COVID-19 and its economic impact against a backdrop of bickering.

In the top commentary for today:

• How Gladys Berejiklian turned into Daniel Andrews The spread of the virus from Bondi to Fairfield to Melbourne has led to a change of heart from NSW’s anti-lockdown paragon. - Aaron Patrick
• Australia will fight back against the virus The current lockdowns are crushing confidence, but fiscal and monetary policy and a sound public health response will help us counterpunch like Mike Tyson. - Chris Joye
• How the pandemic delivered political power to the states It is the states that have the power to lock out infection and deliver life-saving support to their citizens. That has lifted their political clout as well. - Tom Burton