Coronavirus: Gladys Berejiklian flags overseas travel by November

NSW Premier flags overseas travel by November, as the state records 148,000 jabs in a single day, 1116 new cases and four deaths.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has flagged a return to overseas travel by November. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Christian Gilles

Gladys Berejiklian wants to “lead the way” in allowing Australians to travel freely through Sydney Airport once NSW hits the 80 per cent double vaccination target.

NSW recorded 1116 locally acquired cases of Covid-19, after administering more than 148,000 vaccinations across the state on Tuesday.

Four more deaths were recorded overnight, including a woman in her 50s, a woman in her 60s, a woman in her 70s and a woman in her 80s – all four women had underlying health conditions.

The Premier said the state’s “greatest challenge” was to ensure first-dose vaccination rates reach 80 per cent as quickly as possible “because once we know first doses have hit 80 per cent, those citizens have signed up for the second dose”.

“I think the only two places on the planet are Malta and Singapore that have 80 per cent double-dose vaccination and that’s a target we need to get to allow for international travel to return,” Ms Berejiklian said.

“At 70 per cent double-dose vaccination you can expect to go out and have a meal, you can expect to attend a public event, you can expect to go and get services.”

“We know that indoor gatherings or people coming to your home are high-risk. But outside of that if there are many things we can’t do now we should expect to be able to do them when we have 70 per cent of the adult population vaccinated.”

“When we hit the 80 per cent double-dose number, which we anticipate will be in November, NSW looks forward to having our citizens enjoy international travel.”

Ms Berejiklian also defended claims she was not communicating with community leaders in the 12 LGAs of concern, saying “I have not advertised how many times I have spoken virtually to community leaders, but I have done it almost everyday”.

Ms Berejiklian said community leaders from the 12 LGAs of concern, including mayors and councillors, have had a “direct input” in the state’s vaccination strategy, providing feedback and suggestions.

One hundred deaths have now been recorded since the beginning of the outbreak on June 16.

The 12 LGAs of concern in southwest and western Sydney, including Guildford, Merrylands, Auburn, Punchbowl and surrounding suburbs, continue to generate the majority of new infections.

Currently, there are 917 people admitted to hospital, with 150 patients in intensive care, 66 of whom require ventilation.

Deputy chief health officer Marianne Gale said the majority of patients in intensive care have not been vaccinated, with only 23 people vaccinated.

“We remain concerned about sewage detections in quite a number of locations across NSW and we encourage people in Murrumbidgee, Thredbo and Merimbula to come forward for immediate testing.”

Dr Gale said viral fragments were also detected on the Mid North Coast in Port Macquarie, Dunbogan and Bonny Hills. In Western NSW, residents in Warren and Molong, as well as people in the Hunter New England, Tamworth and Gunnedah have been urged to come forward for testing.