Gladys Berejiklian says restrictions could be in place until October as case numbers soar

Residents in NSW have been dealt another blow, with the Premier warning restrictions could be in place until October.

Restrictions could be in place until October, the NSW Premier has warned, as the state continues to grapple with an escalating Covid crisis.

Gladys Berejiklian dealt the fresh blow on Friday morning after explaining NSW had recorded another 136 new cases, the biggest daily spike since the outbreak began.

“Our challenge is, as I said yesterday, to live as freely and as safely as possible until we get enough vaccines in arms,” she said.

“That means that we need to live as freely and as safely as possible during August, September, and October, according to the federal (government’s) vaccination rollout.”

She said by the end of October much of the population should be vaccinated, meaning people will be able to “live more freely beyond that point”.

NSW recorded another 136 new cases. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Jeremy Piper

Australians younger than 40 should be able to access the Pfizer vaccine by October. The lack of doses has proven to be a roadblock during the botched rollout, with the Prime Minister taking responsibility earlier in the week.

Ms Berejiklian was also asked about whether she would have discussions with other state leaders about whether they could send additional doses of Pfizer vaccine to NSW.

“Those (are) conversations we need to have at national cabinet, we need to at least have a strategy,” she said.

There was a crisis cabinet meeting this morning and the situation, particularly around Sydney’s southwest and western suburbs, was now considered a “national emergency”, Ms Berejiklian said.

The Berejiklian government is also working on a road map out of lockdown over the next week.

There are concerns restrictions could last until October. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Bianca De Marchi

“It is fairly apparent that we will not be close to (coming out of lockdown) next Friday,” she said.

“The numbers are not going in the direction residents we’re hoping for.”

Of the 136 new cases, 53 of those were in the community for their entire infectious period.

An 89-year-old man also died from the disease overnight, NSW chief health officer Kerry Chant confirmed.

“We will not be releasing further information until we are assured the family is aware of that case,” she said.