Pittwater Online News

August 29 - September 4, 2021: Issue 508

New freedoms for vaccinated first step on state roadmap out of COVID + pittwater vaccinations surge + back to school update + children aged 12-15 year olds now eligible for vaccine + Assistance for childcare

Covid-19 Testing Clinic at Avalon Bowling Club carpark.

As of Thursday August 26, 2021 there are 43 active cases in the NB LGA

Coasters, Currawong Great Mackerel: 1, Mona Vale: 5, Bayview: 2, Narrabeen-Elanora: 2.

All available at: www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/find-the-facts-about-covid-19#map-of-nsw-covid-19-case-locations-cases-and-tests

People across NSW who have received both doses of a COVID-19 vaccine will be allowed more freedoms next month after NSW hit the target of six million jabs.

This is the first step in the roadmap and further freedoms will follow for those who have had the jab when the state hits new vaccination targets of 70 and 80 per cent.

Following consultation with Dr Kerry Chant and her team, as well as the NSW Chief Psychiatrist Dr Murray Wright, the following individual freedoms will be allowed for adults who have received both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.

From 12.01am, Monday, 13 September:

For those who live outside the LGAs of concern, outdoor gatherings of up to five people (including children) will be allowed in a person’s LGA or within 5km of home.
For those who live in the LGAs of concern, households with all adults vaccinated will be able to gather outdoors for recreation (including picnics) within the existing rules (for one hour only, outside curfew hours and within 5km of home). This is in addition to the one hour allowed for exercise.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian thanked the millions of people across NSW who came forward to receive their vaccine, helping hit the six million doses target.

“We are so grateful for every person who comes forward to get vaccinated because the more jabs we get into arms, the sooner we can lift restrictions,” Ms Berejiklian said.

“We appreciate the community’s patience in the lead up to 13 September, this additional time will allow the recent surge of vaccines to take effect.”

As part of the roadmap when the following targets are hit, freedoms will be as follows:

70 per cent full vaccination: a range of family, industry, community and economic restrictions to be lifted for those who are vaccinated.
80 per cent full vaccination: further easing of restrictions on industry, community and the economy.

The government is also investigating trials of certain industries in coming months, as a proof-of-concept measure to prepare the businesses to open up and operate in a COVID-safe way.

Deputy Premier John Barilaro said this roadmap is our path to freedom and is our biggest incentive yet to get vaccinated so we can return to a level of normality.

“The roadmap announced today outlines a clear pathway forward in which a range of family, industry, community and economic restrictions will be lifted for those that are fully vaccinated when NSW hits 70 per cent,” Mr Barilaro said.

“Having a meal with loved ones, or having a drink with friends is just around the corner, but to get there, we need to keep up momentum in the vaccination rollout.”

Health Minister Brad Hazzard said two doses of the vaccine not only helps protect people from hospitalisation and death, but also helps reduce transmission.

“Two vaccine doses leads to around a 90 per cent overall reduction in transmission of the virus,” Mr Hazzard said.

If you are not booked in for a COVID-19 vaccine, please book an appointment as soon possible.

There are several options to receive your ‘proof of COVID-19 vaccination’:

Download your COVID-19 digital certificate via the Express Plus Medicare mobile app or your Medicare online account through myGov.

You can add your COVID-19 digital certificate to your Apple Wallet or Google Pay.
Instructions are available on the Services Australia website.

If you can’t get proof online, your vaccination provider can print your immunisation history statement for you.
Call the Australian Immunisation Register on 1800 653 809 (Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm) and ask for your statement to be sent to you. It can take up to 14 days to arrive in the post.
If you’re not eligible for Medicare you can call the Australian Immunisation Register and request your certificate be mailed to you or add your COVID-19 certificate to your digital wallet using the Individual Healthcare Identifiers service (IHI service) through myGov.

Read the latest COVID-19 information.

The best place to keep up to date with all information is at: www.nsw.gov.au
Best Place to get ALL the information about Support Packages on one page is at: www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/2021-covid-19-support-package
Covid Rules: www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/rules/greater-sydney
NSW Health on FB: https://www.facebook.com/NewSouthWalesHealth/
NSW Health website: http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/
Case Locations (just enter your postcode):https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/find-the-facts-about-covid-19#map-of-nsw-covid-19-case-locations-cases-and-tests

If you are directed to get tested for COVID 19 or self-isolate at any time, you must follow the rules whether or not the venue or exposure setting is listed on the NSW Health website.

It remains vital that anyone who has any symptoms or is a close or casual contact of a person with COVID-19, isolates and is tested immediately. When testing clinics are busy, please ensure you stay in line, identify yourself to staff and tell them that you have symptoms or are a contact of a case.

Please check the NSW Government website regularly: www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19, and follow the relevant health advice if you have attended a venue of concern or travelled on a public transport route at the same time as a confirmed case of COVID-19. This list is being updated regularly as case investigations proceed.

There are more than 450 COVID-19 testing locations across NSW, many of which are open seven days a week.

To find your nearest clinic visit: www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/health-and-wellbeing/clinics

You must stay home. Only leave your home if you have a reasonable excuse.

Reasonable Excuse To Leave Home

A reasonable excuse is if you need to:

obtain food or other goods and services:

in your local government area, within 10km of your home, if reasonably practicable but not if to do so means that you would enter a local government area of concern (from the start of Monday 16 August 2021, a 5km rule will apply)
for the personal needs of the household or for other household purposes (including pets)
for vulnerable people
only one person per household may leave the home to obtain food or other goods and services each day (you may take a dependent person with you if that person cannot be left at home on their own).

leave home to go to work if:

you cannot reasonably work from home and
the business is allowed to be open and
you comply with relevant rules for COVID-19 tests for Sydney workers.
leave home for education if it is not possible to do it at home
exercise and take outdoor recreation within your local government area or up to 10km from your home (from the start of Monday 16 August 2021, a 5km rule will apply)
go out for medical or caring reasons, including obtaining a COVID-19 vaccination.

See the list of other reasonable excuses.

Pittwater Vaccinations Surge

Member for Pittwater Rob Stokes is applauding the ongoing efforts of Pittwater residents as local vaccinations continue to soar.

So far, approximately 70% of eligible Pittwater residents have received their first dose, and around 40% have received both doses.

“Vaccination is our pathway out of the pandemic,” Rob Stokes said this week.

“It means reunions with family and friends, the revival of livelihoods, and enjoyments like holiday travel and local sport.

“It’s so encouraging to see local vaccination rates absolutely skyrocketing. Special shout-out to the Avalon, Newport, Bayview and Church Point communities who are leading the charge.”

Vaccine supply will continue to increase in coming weeks with additional Pfizer availability and the arrival of Moderna joining the strong local take-up of AstraZeneca. This will coincide with more age groups becoming eligible.

All vaccines offer strong protection against hospitalisation and death, and the NSW Health advice is to speak with your doctor and access whichever vaccine is available to you as soon as possible.

“Every shot in an arm gets us closer to post-pandemic life – let’s keep this up and get this done!

“Thank you to the fantastic health workers at our local hospitals, GP clinics and pharmacies who are administering thousands of vaccine doses to Pittwater residents,” Rob Stokes said.

HSC in November and all students to return to school in Term 4

August 27, 2021

There will be a staggered return to face-to-face learning from October, HSC exams will be delayed until November and vaccinations for school staff will be mandatory based on the return to school plan released by the NSW Government today.

The Department of Education has developed a plan to bring students back in a COVID-safe way while stay at home orders are still in place – ensuring continuity of education, and protecting student, teacher and community safety.

A staggered return of students to face-to-face learning will begin on Monday 25 October.

Students will return to face-to-face learning with NSW Health approved COVID safe settings on school sites in the following order:

From 25 October – Kindergarten and Year 1
From 1 November – Year 2, 6 and 11
From 8 November – Year 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9 and 10

Year 12 students are already able to return in a limited way and this will continue for the remainder of Term 3. From 25 October, Year 12 will have full time access to school campuses and their teachers.

If stay at home orders are lifted in an LGA or region before 25 October, all students living or learning in that area will return to face to face learning under the Department’s COVID-safe schools framework.

If cases in certain LGAs increase significantly, learning from home will resume for that LGA until case numbers drop.

HSC exams will be delayed until November 9th with a revised timetable and guidelines for a COVID-safe HSC to be released by NESA in early September. Importantly, the delay of the HSC exams will not disadvantage NSW students when applying to university.

Vaccinations for all school staff across all sectors will be mandatory from November 8th. NSW Health will be providing priority vaccinations at Qudos Bank Arena for school staff the week beginning September 6th.

Early childcare staff will also be able to participate in the priority vaccinations from 6 September. All school and early childcare staff are also encouraged to make use of the GP network to be vaccinated with whatever vaccine is available as soon as possible.

A recent survey of the public school workforce indicated the majority of staff already had at least one dose of a vaccine.

All students eligible for a vaccine will be strongly encouraged by the government to book an appointment.

Students aged 12-15 will also be a priority if they become eligible for a vaccine.

All parents who have not been vaccinated are strongly encouraged to get the vaccine as soon as possible.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the NSW Government is prioritising the safety and education of students through a sensible and managed return to school.

“The return to school plan provides parents, teachers and students with certainty and a path forward for the return to face-to-face learning,” Ms Berejiklian said.

“We know the last few months have been tough on the school community and we are deeply grateful to parents, teachers and students for the sacrifices you have made. Please continue to protect our students by getting vaccinated as quickly as possible.”

Minister for Education and Early Childhood Learning Sarah Mitchell said the education and safety of our students is essential.

“The classroom is where students learn best and I thank the entire community for playing their role in this return by getting vaccinated,” Ms Mitchell said.

Children aged 12 to 15 years now eligible for COVID-19 vaccine

August 27, 2021

Children aged between 12 and 15 years will be able to book a COVID-19 Pfizer vaccine from September 13 following the Federal Government’s decision to implement expert medical advice.

Bookings will be available through GPs, Commonwealth Vaccination Clinics and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations. Each state and territory will advise when their state vaccination clinics will open to this group.

The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) reviewed detailed medical evidence and recommended Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccination in all children and adolescents 12 years of age and above.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the Moderna vaccine would also be made available subject to approvals from the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) and ATAGI recommendations for 12-18 year olds.

“Vaccinating young people will protect them and provide peace of mind to their family,” the Prime Minster said.

“Importantly, this decision provides the opportunity for families to come together to visit their GP and get vaccinated.”

Coordinator General of Operation COVID Shield Lieutenant General John Frewen has been working with the Commonwealth and states and territories on coordinating an approach for this age group while supporting those jurisdictions wishing to undertake a school based vaccination later in the year. This detail will be outlined by each state and territory.

It is expected that all children 12-18 years of age will have access to a vaccine during the course of 2021. The age group between 12 and 15 comprises of approximately 1.2 million children.

Minister for Health and Aged Care Greg Hunt said the decision was based on the final advice of ATAGI and approval by the TGA. In their advice to Government, ATAGI concludes that the severity of COVID-19 is less in adolescents compared with adults.

“To date, we’ve administered almost 18.4 million COVID-19 vaccines around Australia. I want to thank everyone who has come forward so far to receive their first and second doses, you’re doing an incredible job,” Minister Hunt said.

“I would encourage all parents from September 13 to visit the eligibility checker and book your child in for their vaccination, so we can ensure all Australians are protected from COVID-19.”

Minister for Education and Youth Alan Tudge said the rollout of the vaccines to younger Australians should give more confidence to jurisdictions to keep schools open and community activity alive.

“Some students have missed more than half a year of face-to-face learning, and it is critically important that we get all students back in classrooms as soon as possible,” Minister Tudge said.

“Keeping kids in schools is so important, not just for their education, but for their mental health, physical development and to have those critical interactions with their peers and teachers.”

Parents should check the COVID-19 eligibility checker from 13 September to book in their child’s vaccination.

The Therapeutic Goods Administration is also currently considering the use of the Moderna vaccine in 12-17 years of age as a priority, with a decision expected soon.

Pharmacies will come on board to administer Moderna subject to approval by the TGA and ATAGI.

The Commonwealth Government has secured more than 280 million COVID-19 vaccines, including 125 million Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines and 25 million Moderna vaccines.

COVID-19 vaccine: Pfizer Australia - COMIRNATY BNT162b2 (mRNA) - approved for use in individuals 12 years and older

August 27, 2021: TGA

On 22 July 2021 the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) granted provisional approval to Pfizer Australia Pty Ltd for its COVID-19 vaccine, COMIRNATY, in individuals aged 12 years and older.

This decision follows the provisional approval granted by the TGA to COMIRNATY on 25 January 2021 for used in individuals aged 16 years and older. Pfizer subsequently made an application to the TGA to vary the original approval to include children between 12 and 15 years of age.

As for previous COVID-19 vaccine applications, this assessment was expedited by the TGA through the provisional approval pathway. The TGA has decided that this vaccine meets the high safety, efficacy and quality standards required for use in Australia following a thorough and independent review of Pfizer's submission.

Provisional approval of this vaccine is valid for two years and means it can now be legally supplied in Australia. The approval is subject to certain strict conditions, such as the requirement for Pfizer to continue providing information to the TGA on longer term efficacy and safety from ongoing clinical trials and post-market assessment.

Australians can be confident that the TGA's review process of this vaccine was rigorous and of the highest standard. The decision to provisionally approve the vaccine was also informed by expert advice from the Advisory Committee on Vaccines (ACV), an independent committee with expertise in scientific, medical and clinical fields including consumer representation.

The TGA will continue to actively monitor the safety of the Pfizer vaccine both in Australia and overseas and will not hesitate to take action if safety concerns are identified. As an extra check, the TGA laboratories will undertake batch assessment of each batch of the vaccine before it can be supplied in Australia.

Targeted assistance for childcare during covid lockdown

August 23, 2021

The Australian Government will provide additional targeted support for thousands of child care providers impacted by extended COVID-19 lockdowns, through new fortnightly payments.

Child care services in Commonwealth-declared hotspots will be eligible for payments of 25 per cent of their pre-lockdown revenue. Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) services will be eligible for payments of 40 per cent.

This will apply to services seven days after the hotspot is declared, where states have directed families to keep their kids at home.

Where kids are still allowed to attend, the supports will kick in four weeks after the hotspot declaration.

The measure is in addition to the existing Commonwealth supports, including gap fee waivers which allow Commonwealth Child Care Subsidy to continue even when children are not attending.

The new payments will immediately benefit child care services in affected areas of Sydney and the ACT and OSHC services in Metropolitan Melbourne.

All other services in Metropolitan Melbourne, regional Victoria and regional NSW will become eligible after seven days of lockdown, and payments will be backdated to today.

The supports will also be available for services who meet the criteria in any future extended lockdowns.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the payments would immediately help around 3,600 services caring for almost 300,000 children in Greater Sydney, as well as nearly 900 OSHC services in Metropolitan Melbourne and nearly 300 services in the ACT.

“The child care and early education sector is critically important for Australian families and our economy, and these payments will help keep services open and staff employed,” Prime Minister Morrison said.

“The sector has been doing an incredible job to provide essential care for Australian kids during the pandemic and we are backing them in while attendance rates are down.

“These payments will ensure our high quality child care and early education centres are there on the other side of these lockdowns.”

Minister for Education and Youth Alan Tudge said the payments build on the support already being provided to the sector through the Child Care Subsidy and broader economic supports.

“Giving families additional absence days and allowing gap fee waivers has kept many children enrolled and means services have still been able to receive the Child Care Subsidy even if kids haven’t attended,” Minister Tudge said.

“Importantly the new payments are targeted to services that have seen attendance levels fall by at least 50 per cent and are conditional on centres keeping staff in work and passing on support for families.

“The measures will encourage services to pass on gap fee waivers to parents, meaning those keeping their kids home during lockdown won’t be paying out‑of‑pocket costs when they aren’t using the service.

“The package recognises the impact extended lockdowns are having on the sector.”

Payments will be contingent on services:

expecting attendance below 50 per cent
waiving gap fees for all families whose children are not attending
maintaining staffing levels
agreeing to a fee freeze for the duration of support
not accessing other Commonwealth Government funded supports

Streamlined payments will be available to services in around two weeks.

Families in affected areas are not required to do anything.

NSW Health Update: Monday August 30, 2021

NSW recorded 1,290 new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night.

Three new cases were acquired overseas in the 24 hours to 8pm last night, and 21 previously reported cases have been excluded following further investigation. The total number of cases in NSW since the beginning of the pandemic is 25,668.

Sadly, NSW Health has been notified of the deaths of four people who had COVID-19.

A man in his 50s from Dubbo died at Dubbo Hospital.

A man in his 70s from western Sydney died at Westmead Hospital.

A man in his 70s from Sydney’s inner west died at Concord Hospital. He acquired his infection at the Meredith House Aged Care facility.

A woman in her 60s from western Sydney died at Westmead Hospital. She acquired her infection at Cumberland Hospital.

NSW Health extends its deepest sympathies to their loved ones.

There have been 93 COVID-19 related deaths in NSW since 16 June 2021, and 149 in total since the start of the pandemic.

There have been 20,061 locally acquired cases reported since 16 June 2021, when the first case in this outbreak was reported.

There are currently 840 COVID-19 cases admitted to hospital, with 137 people in intensive care, 48 of whom require ventilation.

There were 157, 221 COVID-19 tests reported to 8pm last night, compared with the previous day’s total of 106,038.

NSW Health administered 49,103 COVID-19 vaccines in the 24 hours to 8pm last night, including 9,455 at the vaccination centre at Sydney Olympic Park.

NSW Health administered a record 357,751 vaccines in the week ending Sunday 29 August, including 78,921 at the vaccination centre at Sydney Olympic Park. This is an increase of 58,546 on the previous week.

The total number of vaccines administered in NSW is now 6,794,474 with 2,516,702 doses administered by NSW Health to 8pm last night and 4,277,772 administered by the GP network and other providers to 11:59pm on Saturday 28 August 2021.

Of the 1,290 locally acquired cases reported to 8pm last night, 449 are from Western Sydney Local Health District (LHD), 434 are from South Western Sydney LHD, 126 are from Sydney LHD, 70 are from South Eastern Sydney LHD, 83 are from Nepean Blue Mountains LHD, 51 are from Western NSW LHD, 38 are from Northern Sydney LHD, nine are from Far West LHD, six are from Central Coast LHD, five are from Illawarra Shoalhaven LHD, three are from Hunter New England LHD, three people are part of the Justice Health Forensic Mental Health Network and 13 cases are yet to be assigned to an LHD.

NSW Health's ongoing sewage surveillance program has recently detected fragments of the virus that causes COVID-19 at the sewage treatment plants in Trangie in western NSW and Byron Bay, which serve about 1,200 about 9,000 people respectively.

These detections are a concern as there are no known cases in these areas. Everyone in these areas is urged to monitor for the onset of symptoms, and if they appear, to immediately be tested and isolate until a negative result is received.

If you are directed to get tested for COVID 19 or self-isolate at any time, you must follow the rules whether or not the venue or exposure setting is listed on the NSW Health website.

Please check the NSW Government website regularly, and follow the relevant health advice if you have attended a venue of concern or travelled on a public transport route at the same time as a confirmed case of COVID-19. This list is being updated regularly as case investigations proceed.

There are more than 460 COVID-19 testing locations across NSW, many of which are open seven days a week. To find your nearest clinic visit: https://www.nsw.gov.au/.../how-to-protect.../clinics or contact your GP.

NSW Health Update: Sunday August 29, 2021

NSW recorded 1,218 new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night.

Three new cases were acquired overseas in the 24 hours to 8pm last night, and eight previously reported cases have been excluded following further investigation. The total number of cases in NSW since the beginning of the pandemic is 24,396.

Sadly, NSW Health has been notified of the deaths of six people who had COVID-19.

A man in his 80s from south-west Sydney died at Nepean Hospital, after acquiring his infection there earlier this month. His is the fifth death linked to an outbreak at the hospital.

A man in his 80s from Sydney’s inner west died at Concord Hospital. He acquired his infection at the Wyoming Aged Care facility, and is the fifth death linked to this outbreak.

Two men in their 70s from south-west Sydney died at Liverpool Hospital.

A man in his 70s from western Sydney died at Westmead Hospital.

A woman in her 80s from western Sydney died at Westmead Hospital.

NSW Health extends its deepest sympathies to their loved ones.

There have been 89 COVID-19 related deaths in NSW since 16 June 2021, and 145 in total since the start of the pandemic.

There have been 18,792 locally acquired cases reported since 16 June 2021, when the first case in this outbreak was reported.

There are currently 813 COVID-19 cases admitted to hospital, with 126 people in intensive care, 54 of whom require ventilation.

There were 106,038 COVID-19 tests reported to 8pm last night, compared with the previous day’s total of 129,182.

NSW Health administered 49,849 COVID-19 vaccines in the 24 hours to 8pm last night, including 11,734 at the vaccination centre at Sydney Olympic Park.

The total number of vaccines administered in NSW is now 6,703,717, with 2,467,599 doses administered by NSW Health to 8pm last night and 4,236,118 administered by the GP network and other providers to 11:59pm on Friday 27 August 2021.

Of the 1,218 locally acquired cases reported to 8pm last night, 466 are from Western Sydney Local Health District (LHD), 421 are from South Western Sydney LHD, 96 are from Sydney LHD, 67 are from South Eastern Sydney LHD, 66 are from Nepean Blue Mountains LHD, 28 are from Northern Sydney LHD, 25 are from Western NSW LHD, 13 are from Illawarra Shoalhaven LHD, seven are from Hunter New England LHD, two are from Central Coast LHD, two are from Far West LHD, and 25 cases are yet to be assigned to an LHD.

Across the Western NSW Local Health District there have been 25 new cases of COVID-19 reported to 8pm last night. People in the affected areas throughout Western NSW need to be extremely vigilant and get tested at the first sign of symptoms.

NSW Health's ongoing sewage surveillance program has recently detected fragments of the virus that causes COVID-19 at the sewage treatment plants in Trangie, Byron Bay, Temora, Cooma and Tamworth. These detections are a concern as there are no known cases in these areas.

The sewage treatment plant at Trangie serves about 1,200 people and the sewage treatment plant at Byron Bay serves about 9,000 people. The sewage treatment plant at Temora serves about 6,200 people, the sewage treatment plant at Cooma serves about 8,000 people and the sewage treatment plant at Tamworth serves about 45,000 people.

There was also a detection at the sewage treatment plant in Toukley, where there has been a recent case. It serves 29,000 people.

Everyone in all of these areas is urged to monitor for the onset of symptoms, and if they appear, to immediately be tested and isolate until a negative result is received.

If you are directed to get tested for COVID 19 or self-isolate at any time, you must follow the rules whether or not the venue or exposure setting is listed on the NSW Health website.

NSW Health Update: Saturday August 28, 2021

NSW recorded 1,035 new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night.

One new case was acquired overseas in the 24 hours to 8pm last night, and ten previously reported cases have been excluded following further investigation. The total number of cases in NSW since the beginning of the pandemic is 23,183.

Sadly, NSW Health has been notified of the deaths of two people who had COVID-19.

A woman in her 70s from Sydney’s Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District died at Nepean Hospital, after acquiring her infection there earlier this month. Hers is the fourth death linked to an outbreak at the hospital.

A woman in her 80s from western Sydney died at Westmead Hospital.

NSW Health extends its deepest sympathies to their loved ones.

There have been 83 COVID-19 related deaths in NSW since 16 June 2021. There have been 139 in total since the start of the pandemic.

There have been 17,582 locally acquired cases reported since 16 June 2021, when the first case in this outbreak was reported.

There are currently 778 COVID-19 cases admitted to hospital, with 125 people in intensive care, 52 of whom require ventilation.

There were 129,182 COVID-19 tests reported to 8pm last night, compared with the previous day’s total of 118,120.

NSW Health administered 61,778 COVID-19 vaccines in the 24 hours to 8pm last night, including 12,527 at the vaccination centre at Sydney Olympic Park.

The total number of vaccines administered in NSW is now 6,571,629, with 2,417,750 doses administered by NSW Health to 8pm last night and 4,153,879 administered by the GP network and other providers to 11:59pm on Thursday 26 August 2021.

Of the 1,035 locally acquired cases reported to 8pm last night, 398 are from Western Sydney Local Health District (LHD), 316 are from South Western Sydney LHD, 100 are from Sydney LHD, 78 are from Nepean Blue Mountains LHD, 52 are from South Eastern Sydney LHD 42 are from Western NSW LHD, 25 are from Northern Sydney LHD, seven are from Illawarra Shoalhaven LHD, four are from Far West LHD, three new cases for Hunter New England LHD, two new cases for Central Coast LHD and eight cases are yet to be assigned to an LHD.

Across the Western NSW Local Health District there have been 42 new cases of COVID-19 reported to 8pm last night. People in the affected areas throughout Western NSW need to be extremely vigilant and get tested at the first sign of symptoms.

Western NSW Local Health District (WNSWLHD) has established the state’s first drive-through Covid-19 vaccination clinic at Dubbo Showground, which is also just the second of its kind in Australia. The new drive-through vaccination clinic will operate at the Ewan MacInnes Pavilion at Dubbo Showground seven days a week and is expected to initially be able to deliver upward of 200 vaccinations each day.

It will be more accessible for people with mobility issues, allow entire households to receive their vaccinations at the same time and will be much easier for parents and carers, who can accompany their kids and dependents.

Bookings are essential, and people can make a booking by visiting the WSLHD website. Bookings are available already.

NSW Health's ongoing sewage surveillance program has recently detected fragments of the virus that causes COVID-19 at the sewage treatment plants in Brewarrina, Moree, Merimbula, Baradine, Bonny Hills.

The Brewarrina sewage treatment plant serves approximately 1,100 people, and the Moree sewage treatment plants serves about 10,000 people.

The Merimbula sewage treatment plant serves approximately 15,000 people and the Baradine serves 750 people.

The Bonny Hills sewage treatment plant serves around 7,000 people in Lake Cathie and Bonny Hills.

These detections are a concern as there are no known cases in these areas.

Everyone in this area is urged to monitor for the onset of symptoms, and if they appear, to immediately be tested and isolate until a negative result is received.

If you are directed to get tested for COVID 19 or self-isolate at any time, you must follow the rules whether or not the venue or exposure setting is listed on the NSW Health website.