Gladys Berejiklian has warned the NSW outbreak will peak in the next week after the state recorded 1,281 new Covid-19 cases and 5 deaths overnight.
The premier revealed she expected numbers to skyrocket and more pressure to be placed on intensive care units based on modelling provided by health experts.
‘Our surge capacity including staff in our intensive care units is 1,550,’ she said during a press conference on Monday.
‘We certainly don’t want to have to use all of those beds and staff, because we know what pressure it will put on the system but we want everybody to be reassured that the capacity is there.’
Ms Berejiklian is expected to soon release modelling on the looming peaks in infection case numbers and patient hospitalisations, after the state’s double vaccination rate reached 40 per cent over the weekend.
‘All the modelling indicates to us that the peak (in cases) is likely to be here in the next week or two,’ she said on Sunday.
‘The peak in hospitalisation and intensive care is likely to be with us in October.’
The figure comes as University of Melbourne epidemiologist Tony Blakely warned daily case numbers could hit 3,000 before peaking
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian is expected to soon release modelling on the looming peaks in infection case numbers and patient hospitalisations, after the state’s double vaccination rate reached 40 per cent over the weekend
The figure comes as University of Melbourne epidemiologist Tony Blakely warned daily case numbers could hit 3,000 before peaking.
‘They’re heading to, you know, a couple of thousand, maybe 3,000 cases before the vaccine dose catches up with them,’ he said. ‘Possibly more, depending on how they go.’
Professor Blakely said the state’s health services will be under pressure with hospitalisation rates set to soar.
‘We’re all going to have to deal with it because next year, when we open the borders, we will have high hospitalisation numbers for at least a year,’ he said.
As businesses open up in October or November and children return to school, COVID-19 transmissions will increase so ‘we have quite a balancing act here and quite a discussion to have about trade-offs’, he said.
‘How much do we value getting kids back to school versus the stress on the health services?’
NSW reported 1,485 new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 and three deaths on Sunday as authorities battle to contain the spread of the virulent Delta strain.
Meanwhile, thousands of essential workers in Sydney’s 12 local government area COVID-19 hotspots have been given a two-week reprieve on an order to get their first COVID-19 jab, if they want to work outside those areas.
The government has given workers two more weeks to get a vaccine but they have to book an appointment by Wednesday.
From Monday, tens of thousands of school, early childhood, TAFE NSW, Vocational Education and Training and university staff can get vaccinated with AstraZeneca at the Qudos vaccination hub in Homebush.
‘As we prepare for a staged return to school from 25 October, and holding HSC exams from 9 November, vaccinating all staff is essential to increase safety and minimise disruption,’ Education Minister Sarah Mitchell said.
From Monday, tens of thousands of school, early childhood, TAFE NSW, Vocational Education and Training and university staff can get vaccinated with AstraZeneca at the Qudos vaccination hub in Homebush (pictured, Pfizer doses arrives in Sydney from the UK)
From November 8, all NSW school and preschool staff must have received two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine
From November 8, all NSW school and preschool staff must have received two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.
The death toll for the current NSW outbreak, which began on June 16, now stands at 126.
There are 1030 COVID-19 patients in NSW in hospital, with 175 in intensive care and 72 on ventilators.
Meanwhile, 40 per cent of people in NSW are now fully vaccinated, which the government says is an ‘incredible milestone’.
At least 73 per cent of NSW residents aged 16 and over have had at least one vaccine dose, with more than 7.3 million jabs administered in the state.
More to come