Ms Berejiklian did not rule out changing some settings from July 31,the day after Sydney’s lockdown is due to end.
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“Some settings might change. We might need to go harder in some areas,release some settings in others. So please know that our government is always looking at the best options we have available,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“I think it’s important for us to convey what life looks like on July 31 in the one go.”
Dr Chant also “apologised ahead of time” to anybody who had their second Pfizer vaccination cancelled as doses were redirected to hotspots where many young critical workers lived.
The government has foreshadowed redirecting Pfizer vaccines after national cabinet knocked back Premier Berejiklian’s plea for doses from other states to be sent to NSW.
NSW recorded 145 new cases on Monday,with 76 of those in the community while infectious.
Ms Berejiklian said the next few days would be crucial in any decision-making and her crisis cabinet held a lengthy meeting late on Monday to devise a roadmap for the coming weeks.
“We also want to make sure we get the settings right and there’s no doubt that during lockdown we’ve observed which settings are having a better effect than others,” Ms Berejiklian said.
Ms Berejiklian said any changes to restrictions would consider specific measures for communities,taking into account if they had higher or lower loads of virus.
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Dr Chant on Monday said data showed that younger people were driving transmission in the current outbreak.
“What’s been interesting is the young profile,and it makes sense. The only people that are actually moving about are essential workers. So,people that are working in logistics and distribution,” she said.
“Critical workers that come from that area,that support Sydney,and even NSW and beyond. So it is important that we consider how vaccinating that group would potentially prevent transmission.”
Dr Chant said health authorities were leaving “no stone unturned” in attempting to recalibrate the state’s vaccine strategy with a more targeted approach to younger at-risk communities in south-west Sydney.
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The most recent data from NSW Health shows that people aged between 18 and 49 have accounted for about 56 per cent of the state’s cases from the outbreak,which originated in Bondi after a positive test on June 16.
Dr Chant also indicated a return to face-to-face learning for the state’s students was not imminent,with the Delta variant affecting children more than last year’s strain.
“I think this is a real concern. Whereas with the previous strains we didn’t see children impacted,we’re seeing a young age cohort impacted down to very young babies,” she said.
“That’s the basis of why we recommended that school not go back to face-to-face learning. And I would urge anyone … if you can avoid sending children to school,that is an appropriate response.”
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