NSW Covid updates: Eight deaths, 1220 new cases

NSW has recorded 1220 new Covid cases and eight more people have died from the virus. Read our Covid blog.

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Chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant is "optimistic" NSW may reach 90 per cent of the population double vaccinated against Covid.

The state reported 1220 new cases on Tuesday while eight more people died from the virus. 

The latest deaths include six unvaccinated people - a man in his 50s, two women and a man in their 70s, a man in his 80s and a man in his 90s.

A man in his 60s who had received one dose and a fully vaccinated man in his 90s also died.

New South Wales has so far reached 74 per cent first dose vaccinations delivered and Dr Chant is optimistic vaccine rates will soar beyond expectations to 90 per cent double vaccinated.

"I actually think that we can, maybe I'm being too optimistic, but I actually think we can," she said.

"I would love to see us get over 80 per cent by early next week and I think we can do it… I like to see those numbers pushed up as high as we can."

Follow our Tuesday morning updates below.

Updates

2:01 pm September 7, 2021 Highlight

Today's Covid news so far

Kaitlyn Hudson-O'Farrell

Thanks for tagging along so far as we take you through the day's Covid news. It's been another big morning, but if case you've missed it, here's some of Tuesday's highlights so far:

• NSW has recorded 1220 new cases, the third consecutive day of decreasing numbers, but eight people died with Covid overnight.
• Gladys Berejiklian has flagged there will be pilot LGAs who will get to try out vaccine passports, but hasn't yet said which ones. She also hinted a system similar to the current QR code would be used.
• There's been a Covid scare for searchers involved in the rescue of three year-old AJ Elfalak, with over a hundred people ordered to get Covid tests.
• John Barilaro has backtracked on comments that a curfew was only brought in at hotspot LGAs due to media pressure, saying they were needed for compliance.
• The prime minister has been torched for using a taxpayer-funded plane to fly to Sydney for a weekend visit on Father's Day despite ongoing Covid travel restrictions.
• NSW Police have made it compulsory all all force employees to get a jab.
• Daniel Andrews has accused the federal government of creating and "egg and spoon race" by giving NSW more vaccines, after VIC recorded 246 cases. Similar statements came from QLD, where there were no new cases.
• The ACT recorded 19 new cases.

Thanks again for sticking with us so far, we'll back back nice and early tomorrow morning to give you Wednesday's Covid news as it comes. Enjoy your afternoon.

1:46 pm September 7, 2021 Highlight

PM's Father's Day trip 'not a good look': ACT chief

Kaitlyn Hudson-O'Farrell

ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr has weighed in on controversy over the prime minister flying home to Sydney despite ongoing Covid travel restrictions.

Mr Barr, in the midst of providing the territory's Covid update, pointed out many unfamiliar faces in the room today as political reporters turned up to ask why the PM was allowed to return the ACT after a weekend Father's Day trip to NSW.
Asked about whether the PM's trip was causing awkwardness for the ACT government, Mr Barr responded, "Well, clearly."

He later added: "I understand the frustration. I appreciate that it was not a particularly good look, but I'm not the Prime Minister's keeper."

The chief minister also called on Canberrans to get vaccinated, claiming the 80 per cent double dose rate was still some months away.

"Our city has a population of 431,000, that means today there are still 185,000 Canberrans without any vaccination at all and 267,000 who are not fully vaccinated," Mr Barr said.

"This means we are still several months away from 80 per cent of our 12 plus population being fully vaccinated."

1:34 pm September 7, 2021 Highlight

ACT records 19 new cases

Kaitlyn Hudson-O'Farrell

The nation's capital has recorded 19 new cases.

Chief Minister Andrew Barr confirmed 13 were linked to exposure sites and previous cases, while six were still being investigated.

He said it was "pleasing" 13 had been in isolation for their entire infectious period.

Hospitalisations have also dropped to eight people, with one on a ventilator in ICU.

ACT COVID-19 update (6 September 2021):
◼️New cases today: 11
◼️Active cases: 222
◼️Total recovered cases: 163
◼️Total cases: 385
◼️Negative test results (past 24 hours): 2,602
◼️In hospital: 11
COVID-19 vaccinations in ACT: 70.6% received first dose, 47.0% received second dose. pic.twitter.com/NBRhnZqTDG

— ACT Health (@ACTHealth) September 6, 2021

1:26 pm September 7, 2021 Highlight

Plan to bring stranded VIC residents home

Kaitlyn Hudson-O'Farrell

Daniel Andrews is brokering a deal with NSW to bring stranded Victorians home.

Stressing "it won't be everyone coming back at once," the VIC premier hinted an announcement would happen in coming days.

"NSW have agreed as well to do a home-based quarantine pilot, we will do that, technology will be part of it, and we will get those Victorians who are stranded in NSW, we will get them home,” Mr Andrews said.
“We can’t have everybody come at once, but we will make further announcements about that soon.”

For more on VIC's Covid latest, click here.

1:20 pm September 7, 2021 Highlight

Dan slams "egg and spoon race" jab rollout

Kaitlyn Hudson-O'Farrell

The Victorian premier has launched into a sensational attack on the federal government over allegations NSW is being favoured in the vax rollout.

At VIC's daily Covid update, an "angry" Premier Daniel Andrews accused the federal government of forcing other states to play an “egg and spoon race” while NSW sprinted ahead.

While saying he "didn't begrudge" extra allocations to Sydney which were announced, Mr Andrews accused the federal government of making "secret arrangements" with NSW to give the state more jabs.

"I did not sign up and no Victorians signed up to a national plan to vaccinate Sydney… there is something like 340,000 doses that have not come to Victoria," Mr Andrews said.

"What I didn’t know is that Premier Berejiklian is in a sprint, while the rest of us are supposed to do some kind of egg and spoon thing."

He added he didn't want to see Sydney supplied "at the expense of everybody else".

"I don't begrudge any other state getting their fair share but that's predicated on us getting our fair share… these allocations are totally unfair and need to stop," Mr Andrews said.

1:13 pm September 7, 2021 Highlight

VIC's Covid numbers breakdown

Kaitlyn Hudson-O'Farrell

Of VIC's 246 new cases:

– There's 97 cases in Hume;

– 31 cases in Moreland;

– 23 cases in Whittlesea;

– 17 cases in Wyndham;

– 15 cases in Hobsons Bay;

– 13 cases Darebin;

– 11 cases in Brimbank; and

– Seven cases in Melbourne

• 90 are linked and the rest are under investigation
• There are now 1782 locally acquired active cases
• There's 110 people in hospital, 30 of those are in ICU, 14 on a ventilator, including a 17 year-old.
• Nearly 500 cases are aged in their 20s.

1:03 pm September 7, 2021 Highlight

Compulsory jabs for cops

Kaitlyn Hudson-O'Farrell

NSW Police has now made it mandatory for all officers to get the Covid-19 vaccine.

In a statement released on Tuesday, the force confirmed due to the "escalation" of NSW's Covid crisis, all police employees would need to get the jab to keep working on the front line.

Corporate Services Deputy Commissioner Karen Webb said the "significant risk" of the Delta strain meant police needed the protection of the vaccine to do their jobs.

"We know that the delta strain of this virus poses a significant risk to police officers and staff," Dep Comm Webb said.

"Each day, we ask our officers to front up and perform their vital policing functions in this extremely challenging environment… the only way to face that risk is by ensuring that Covid-19 vaccines are administered to all staff.”

All police employees have to have had one jab by September 30, while the end cutoff date for both jabs in November 30.

So far more than 17,000 police have been vaccinated, according to the statement.

12:46 pm September 7, 2021 Highlight

'Some restrictions' until post- 80 per cent

Kaitlyn Hudson-O'Farrell

Restrictions or snap lockdowns for LGAs will remain on the table even once NSW reaches 80 per cent, but the whole state won't go into lockdown again.

Gladys Berejiklian said today she "didn't anticipate a big difference" in restrictions between the 70 and 80 per cent double dose milestone, but said there would be no reason to do statewide shutdowns once the second mark was reached.

"Until you get to 80 per cent double dose the Doherty report says from time to time there may be some restrictions that come into place temporarily," Ms Berejiklian said.

"At (the milestone), the Doherty report says there's no reason you should have a state-wide lockdown, so long as you maintain an eye on the outbreaks from time to time."

12:36 pm September 7, 2021 Highlight

Nothing 'definitive' on a date to save CBD

Kaitlyn Hudson-O'Farrell

There's no proposed return date yet for workers to return and revitalise the Sydney CBD, according to the premier.

"We're working on the road map to see what's a safe way to start opening
up at 70 double dose," Gladys Berejiklian said.

"There could still be the case we recommend people work from home unless they have to at 70 per cent double dose… but I don't want to give anything definitive at this stage because we're still waiting."

12:33 pm September 7, 2021 Highlight

First glimpse into vaccine certificate

Kaitlyn Hudson-O'Farrell

Gladys Berejiklian has provided a potential glimpse into what NSW's vaccine certificate would look like.

The premier seemed to describe a digital check in system similar to current QR code scanning at today's Covid update.

"If you go to a cafe and you check in, right, you don't want to then pull out a
separate document showing you're vaccinated," Ms Berejiklian said.

" You want it all to be seamless… a lot of venues won't let you check in because you won't be vaccinated, when you put your QR code on a cafe or restaurant, it will say you're vaccinated."

She then added: "The point is having the one stop shop on your phone, when you check-in, it also confirms you have been vaccinated… you don't need to go through a process two or three times at the one venue."