Ms Berejiklian said the decision to move areas in and out of harsher restrictions was based on health advice. She said health authorities call out areas,even when they are not formally areas of concern,when there are “increasing cases,where cases didn’t exist before”.

City of Sydney council area was singled out for having below-average vaccination rates,with particular “pockets of vulnerability”.

The Premier said she would like to lift suburbs from harsher restrictions,but said it was too soon to do so,adding that the priority was ensuring strong vaccination rates.

“We have to take the health advice,especially until we get to 70 per cent double dose,as difficult as it is. Because even[then],those who have not had any doses of vaccine remain vulnerable.”

There are 1189 coronavirus patients in hospital,with 222 in intensive care and 94 requiring ventilation.

The regional town of Yass in the Southern Tablelands was plunged into a 14-day lockdown on Monday afternoon,three days after it was released from the statewide lockdown.

Cases are stabilising in parts of regional NSW,however infections are on the rise in the Hunter,Central Coast and Wollongong.

Select freedoms for fully vaccinated adults kicked in on Monday,including unlimited outdoor recreation and picnics for five adults in non-hotspot areas and two hours for households in areas of concern.

Ms Berejiklian also dismissed comments from the Deputy Premier John Barilaro,who earlier told morning radio that people who chose not to get vaccinated could only be excluded from home visits and businesses for a short period.

“I don’t want people to think they can sit back and let everybody else do the hard work,and then turn up when it’s 80 per cent and get everything else that vaccinated people are. That is not the right message,” Ms Berejiklian said.

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