New freedoms unveiled, despite 1288 Covid-19 cases in NSW

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has unveiled new freedoms for NSW residents as the Delta variant continues to push case numbers higher.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian in Sydney on Thursday. Picture: Bianca De Marchi

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has unveiled new freedoms for NSW residents, easing restrictions to allow for small weddings and removing outdoor exercise limits for Sydney’s hard lockdown LGAs, as the Delta variant continues to push case numbers higher.

As NSW recorded its second-highest daily figure at 1288 cases, Ms Berejiklian spruiked the state’s climbing vaccination rates that surpassed seven million doses after 121,000 people came forward to get vaccinated in 24 hours.

She thanked those who had come forward for vaccination, which had made the state the first to surpass 70 per cent first dose vaccination. “It’s been a difficult couple of months and the fact that people have heard the messages we’ve been giving and coming forward to get vaccinated and hitting that 70 per cent first dose is an outstanding achievement,” she said.

“As a result … people who live in local government areas of concern, from 5am tomorrow, will be able to have unlimited exercise.”

The easing of restrictions comes as the state recorded seven deaths in the period, with 160 people in intensive care across the state, including 64 on ventilators.

Six of the deaths were from southwest Sydney, which included a man in his 50s, with one man who was in his 80s from the north shore dying at Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Hospital.