NSW Covid updates: 50,000 SOS Pfizer vaccine doses to NSW amid huge case spike
PM Scott Morrison will send 50,000 extra emergency Pfizer vaccine doses to NSW to help with the escalating Covid crisis. It comes as the state recorded a huge jump of 163 new locally acquired cases, as new infectious venues were revealed.
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Prime Minister Scott Morrison will send 50,000 extra emergency Pfizer vaccine doses to NSW from the national stockpile to help with the escalating Covid crisis.
It comes as NSW recorded 163 Covid cases, the highest daily total of the current Delta outbreak, with a record 93,910 tests conducted.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian was informed of the additional supplies via a text message from Mr Morrison on Friday.
The supplies are in addition to the 150,000 Pfizer doses which have already been sent to NSW, which are expected to arrive within a week.
The confirmation of the offer comes after Health Minister Brad Hazzard told a morning press briefing that he was unaware of the nature of the extra doses, declaring he had seen “nothing in writing”.
“I can’t confirm that because I don’t know that,” he said.
This come as Australia’s top advisory body on immunisation now says anyone aged 18 and above in greater Sydney should “strongly consider” getting inoculated with any available vaccine, including AstraZeneca.
Health Minister Brad Hazzard said of NSW’s new cases 66 are directly from household contacts, 25 are close contacts and 45 were infectious out in the community.
“Forty five people were out walking around, potentially spreading the virus and that certainly explains why our numbers are going up,” he said.
Of these cases, 44 were recorded in Canterbury-Bankstown, Fairfield had 34, Cumberland had 26, Blacktown had 15 and Liverpool had six.
“I think the basic message out of all of this is we really need or community out of southwestern and western Sydney to stay home,” Mr Hazzard said.
He begged Sydneysiders to stop visiting other households as one family group doing the wrong thing spawned 18 cases.
Mr Hazzard said he was “disturbed” that other states did not come to NSW’s aid after the premier asked for more doses at Friday’s national cabinet meeting.
“I want to remind those other states and territories that last time I looked, we were a Commonwealth, we worked together,” he said.
“It disturbs me that it would (seem) that all we’ve ever done to work together has just seemingly been cast aside.”
Mr Hazzard said that during Victoria’s second wave in mid-2020 he had sent health staff down to Victoria who “put their lives on the line”.
When they came back, he said, they told him “they really did feel that they had risked their lives in going down there, but that was what they were prepared to do to support our friends in Victoria, our fellow Australians in Victoria”.
Mr Hazzard likened the Covid crisis to bushfires and floods, saying he “can’t quite see the difference” between states working together to address natural disasters and doing the same with the virus.
there are now 28 under 35 year olds in hospital with the virus.
The family gathering in Pendle Hill which led to 18 new cases was after a “tragic event”.
There were 246 fines dealt out by NSW Police on Friday.
Many fines were to people having visitors at their homes.
At Pyrmont eight people were fined $1000, and at Riverwood six people were fined at a birthday party.
In Belmont, where only five visitors are allowed, a party of ten was broken up.
NSW Police Commissioner Gary Worboys said people were making a “conscious effort to drag down” the rest of the state.
CANCER HOSPITAL VENUE ALERT
NSW Health has issued an urgent virus alert for Sydney cancer hospital Chris O’Brien Lifehouse, deeming it a close contact venue.
People who were at the centre on Tuesday, July 20, should check the lits of areas and times to determine if they are close contacts who neeed to get tested and isolate.
Click here for full list of infectious venues
DOING HARD TIME IN LOCKDOWN CENTRAL
Loneliness, frustration and anger at being “singled out” has permeated Southwestern Sydney but the community is still trying to stay strong.
Like single mum Sonia Qutami, who is doing everything in her power to bring some light to those less fortunate.
In between homeschooling her three children, she cooks meals for disadvantaged Liverpool residents.
“It’s tough on a lot of families, not just financially but mentally, it’s pouring so much grief, sadness and sorrow into so many homes,” Ms Qutami said.
“I’m speaking to a lot of people who are suicidal and it’s so sad to see.”
The Austral mum said she was shocked that in Australia there are still families going hungry during the pandemic.
“These are total strangers but now I’ve built this friendship with a lot of people I never knew … this is a time the community has to unite.”
Meanwhile, Prestons student Hope Milford is struggling to keep her head above water as the uni work piles on.
The once straight A student said her grades have been slipping since the lockdown started and the negative feeling in the community isn’t helping.
“I used to be at the top of my classes, I was always sitting at the front … my grades have gone down significantly,” she said.
“It’s a battle because home is your comfort zone, you are supposed to be home to relax, there’s so many distractions and I’m still not used to it.”
Ms Milford has found the constant police presence in her community has made her nervous.
“You go to the shops and even at Kmart near my house there were police officers looking into your bags checking if your things were essential,” she said.
“Then you look at Bondi where everyone is drinking coffees and out on the beach together.
“It’s not fair.”
Prestons couple Dee Pace and Adam Waite are being hammered financially by this lockdown.
The two personal trainers had worked for six years to open their own indoor studio, only to have their dreams dashed by the strict Liverpool lockdown, announced the same day as their launch.
Ms Pace said she had lost 70 per cent of her income but still must pay for a new commercial lease, while her partner Mr Waite has lost all his work as a gym trainer.
“None of us are hiding from the fact the virus is here … but I don’t think we have been treated equally in the west and I’m not afraid to say that,” Ms Pace said
The trainer and mum said her community is feeling sick and tired of being treated differently.
“It will get to a boiling point, people will start not listening to these rules and not adhering to them, it’s not going to be a great outcome,” she said.
LATEST VENUE ALERTS
âš ï¸PUBLIC HEALTH ALERTâš ï¸
— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) July 23, 2021
NSW Health has been notified of a number of new and updated venues of concern and public transport routes associated with confirmed cases of COVID‑19, and of a new sewage detection. pic.twitter.com/ehPOZUlQuB
MILLIONS OF JABS ON THEIR WAY
The slow pace of vaccinations in NSW is about to kick into gear with an estimated 200,000 Pfizer shots a week in August and as many as 430,000 a week in September.
By October this will rise to 540,000 vaccines per week.
The federal Government’s Horizon report has forecast vaccine supply over the coming months, including the long-awaited Moderna vaccine, another mRNA vaccine like Pfizer that is recommended for use in the under 60s. The first of 25 million doses of the Moderna vaccine will arrive in September.
Operation Covid Shield co-ordinator Lieutenant-General John Frewen said the supply turnaround has begun with the arrival of one million doses of Pfizer last Sunday.
“This ramp-up has seen supply more than triple in a fortnight, which also means the vaccine rollout now steps up a gear as we have more vaccines to get into arms,” he said.
“Supply continues to rise in coming months as more Pfizer comes to our shores ahead of the introduction of Moderna later this year. We are on track to have as many Australians who want to be vaccinated, vaccinated by the end of the year. - Jane Hansen
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