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NSW Covid updates: 18 new cases, third SummitCare worker positive
About 160 students at an elite Sydney private school received the Pfizer jab, despite people under 40 not yet being eligible.
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NSW has recorded 18 new cases of Covid from more than 32,000 tests in the 24 hours to 8pm on Monday.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian said 11 were in isolation for their entire infectious period, five were in partial isolation and two were infectious in the community.
One of today's new cases is a third staff member from the SummitCare aged care facility in Baulkham Hills. The employee worked throughout their infectious period and has received their first AstraZeneca dose.
The infection takes the total number of cases linked with the aged care home to eight - five residents and three workers.
A spokesman said the staff member had been in isolation since two earlier cases in workers were identified.
All three worked in the same area of the facility.
A further case included in today's numbers is a person linked to a gathering at the Meriton Suites in Waterloo. Seven people who attended the party have now tested positive to the virus.
Ms Berejiklian said she will announce tomorrow whether Sydney's lockdown will be extended beyond Friday.
"I hope to be able to communicate to the community tomorrow on what next week looks like," she said.
"We want this to be the last lockdown until we get the majority of our citizens vaccinated."
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Updates
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Pfizer shot was intended only for Indigenous students
It has been revealed that NSW Health allowed about 160 year 12 students at St Joseph’s College at Hunters Hill to be given the Pfizer vaccine.
But Sydney Local Health District chief executive Teresa Anderson said on Tuesday evening the doses were only intended for First Nations students at the college.
All Indigenous people between 16 and 19 are eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine due to higher risks of transmission and severity of symptoms.
"It was agreed that the Aboriginal students would be vaccinated through the state health system at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital’s vaccination hub," Dr Anderson said.
"Through an error, the wider group of boarders in year 12, a total of 163 students, were also vaccinated.
"Sydney Local Health District apologises for this error."
– Anthony Piovesan
‘Gutted’ Dragons coach scrambles to keep season alive
St George Illawarra coach Anthony Griffin’s mission to save the Dragons’ season will start at a “long meeting” on Wednesday.
Griffin has 12 players facing one-match bans for biosecurity breaches that must be served over a minium of two rounds and a maximum of four.
He now has to works out exactly how to stagger the bans to his disgraced players across the club’s next four games.
“It’s been a disappointing few days,” he said.
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Push for lockdown to be lifted on northern beaches
Manly MP James Griffin has written to his boss NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian appealing for her to lift COVID restrictions on the peninsula.
In a letter he published on Instagram, Mr Griffin said, “Given our geography, easing the ‘stay at home’ orders in Manly and the northern beaches to allow free travel throughout, the resumption of business, and other activities (where appropriate) would be feasible and highly desirable”.
He wrote that the northern beaches did the right thing at Christmas by shutting down.
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Private boys school vaccinate students
About 160 year 12 students at a prestigious Sydney school were given the Covid-19 Pfizer jab despite the national rollout only allowing for people aged 40 and above to get it.
St Joseph’s College at Hunters Hill asked Sydney Local Health District in May about the possibility of vaccinations for the students given many of them were boarders from remote, regional and Indigenous communities.
In a statement, school principal Ross Tarlington said NSW Health approved the administration of the vaccines through Sydney Local Health District.
“The college proceeded to make arrangements for the administration of the approved vaccine at a centre determined by NSW Health,” it said.
– Anthony Piovesan
Rooftop bar and soccer stadium listed as Covid hotspots
NSW Health has updated its Covid hotspot list to include a rooftop bar, a soccer stadium and a JB-Hi Fi.
The new additions to the exposure list came after 18 locally acquired Covid cases were recorded on Tuesday.
Anyone who visited The Locker Room at Sydney Olympic Park on Saturday 26 June between 12pm and 2.30pm is a close contact, who must get tested and isolate for 14 days from exposure regardless of the result.
Club Marconi at Bossley Park has also been listed as a close contact venue on Saturday 26 June between 10.30am and 6pm.
Hundreds of Royal North Shore staff in solation
"A tick under 300" nurses and healthcare staff at Royal North Shore Hospital are currently in isolation after an unvaccinated student nurse who worked across multiple wards tested positive to Covid-19 last week.
A spokesman for NSW Health told The Daily Telegraph on Tuesday that "a large portion" of the hundreds of hospital staff in isolation were vaccinated.
There is “restricted movement on five wards” at the hospital – renal vascular, neurology, cardiology, a general medical ward and a surgical ward.
"These wards are not accepting any new patients and are closed to visitors," NSW Health said in a statement.
"All staff working in these wards are wearing an enhanced level of personal protective equipment."
Thousands want Palaszczuk banned from travel
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has defended the “unprecedented” reason she will leave the country this month.
An online petition has collected more than 27,000 signaures calling for her to be denied an exemption to travel to Japan to secure the 2032 Olympics.
But Queensland Treasurer Cameron Dick says that they “simply don’t understand” why Ms Palaszczuk needs to travel to Tokyo.
“It is imperative that our state is represented. Those people who don’t want us represented simply don’t understand what is at risk for our state,” he said.
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St George Illawarra Dragons terminate Paul Vaughan's contract
St George Illawarra have sacked Paul Vaughan.
He has played his last game for the Dragons after his second Covid breach in 12 months brought immeasurable shame and sanction on the club.
Vaughan's contract with has been terminated effective immediately after the house party on Saturday night breached lockdown restrictions.
You can read the full story here.
Sydney testing clinic vandalised
A Sydney pop-up Covid-19 testing site has been targeted by vandals.
The drive-through testing site at Heathcote Oval in Sydney's south has been vandalised for the second time with the words "government scam" sprayed across a tent.
Police are now launching an investigation after phrases such as "government lies" and "stop murdering our children" were sprayed.
Sutherland Shire Councillor Diedree Steinwall said it was "disappointing".
"The NSW Police are working very hard, in conjunction with the Pathology Company and Sutherland Shire Council to find the person or people involved," she said on Facebook alongside a picture of the vandalism.
"Fingers crossed they are found soon!"
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