Has a date been set for the end of lockdown? A friend of mine has been saying October 14th is the date that has been set.
Even if NSW does reach the 70% vaccination target by October 14, I canât see how lockdown can end if the hospitals arenât coping with ICU admissions.
Regional NSW is supposed to be out of lockdown on Friday. My money is on yet another extension for most areas.
Seems to be some sort of claim from Nine/2GB. They believe that vaccine passport technology linked to the Service NSW app will be trialled around then, within pubs. I believe only certain Sydney suburbs will be let in - Sydneyâs south-west and west are likely to miss out. Nine seems to be hinting at Mosman, North Sydney and Hunters Hill.
See:
Barilaro is advocating for the Northern Rivers, parts of the North Coast and the Northern Tablelands in the north, and the Riverina in the south to be released from lockdown this weekend as there are no active cases in these areas that have been in the community.
I feel that it is justified to release these areas (one of which is the one I live in) from lockdown at this point (perhaps with say a stay in your area rule in place still) as it is now clear that no cases have seeded to these areas from the August explosion in cases.
For my area, I guess lockdown until 70% double dose. We are at 50% double dose in my area at the moment.
No date has been set yet, the 14th falls in the window to reach the vaccination target (based on the rolling 7d average)
Theyâre talking about releasing us, but weâve had 5 positive sewer tests in a row, but no cases and calls for greater testing have gone unheeded
Nine COVID-related deaths were reported overnight:
- A man in his 60s from Dubbo died at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. He was not vaccinated and had some significant underlying health conditions. He was the third Indigenous person from western NSW to die from COVID.
- A man in his 90s from south east Sydney died at St George Hospital. He was a resident of St George Aged Care Facility in Bexley and acquired his infection there. He is the third death linked to this aged care facility.
- A man in his 20s from western Sydney died at Nepean Hospital. He was not vaccinated and also had serious underlying health conditions.
- A man in his 80s from south eastern Sydney died at Prince of Wales Hospital.
- A woman in her 60s from Nepean Blue Mountains died at Nepean Hospital.
- A man in his 70s from western Sydney died at St Vincentâs Hospital.
- A man in his 80s from western Sydney died at Westmead Hospital.
- A man in his 70s from south western Sydney died at Liverpool Hospital.
- A man in his 40s from south western Sydney died at Liverpool Hospital.
One person had had one dose of COVID vaccine and one person had had two doses. All those individuals had underlying health conditions.
Breakdown of cases in regional NSW from John Barilaro:
- Western NSW: 27 cases - 27 new cases. 17 of those cases were in the Dubbo local government areas, six in Burke, one in Walgett, and three in the Bathurst local government area
- Far West NSW: seven cases - all in Wilcannia
- Illawarra-Shoalhaven region: 34 cases. 24 cases were in the Wollongong local government area, seven cases in the Shellharbour local government area, two cases from the Shoalhaven local government area and one case currently under investigation in the Kiama LGA.
- Hunter New England: 11 new cases - three cases in Port Stephens local government area, two in the Newcastle local government area, five from the Lake Macquarie local government area and one from the Dungog local government area.
- Central Coast: 15 cases
- Southern Highlands: 10 cases - five new cases in the Wingecaribee shire, four in Woodlands and one in Mittagong.
- Southern NSW: zero cases reported to 8pm last night, however authorities were notified this morning of two additional cases, one in Batemans Bay and one in Cooma. The Batemans Bay case is a contact of a previous case announced a couple of days ago.
Barilaro said no decision had been made on which areas of regional NSW would be released from lockdown, and if those area were to have their lockdowns lifted, there would still be some restrictions in place.
This is concerning - a COVID positive man attended a vaccination site.
Iâm sure he isnât the first one to attendâŚ
ABC reporting that the Riverina/Murrumbidgee areas, the Mid North Coast and North Coast will be released from lockdown tomorrow.
Looks like theyâre going by LHD - thats me screwed for some time then
Yes, Iâm surprised Tamworth / North West Slopes wasnât flagged for release from lockdown.
Ah well, you are in good company with us Novocastrians then, no chance of us coming out of lockdown 
Frankly, Iâm not surprised - weâve had 5 positive sewer tests and no cases (but fuck all present for testing) - I thought they may go smaller than LHD (maybe LGA) and opened up a few other locations, but even then itâs tough especially west of the divide where people have no hesitation in travelling beyond LGAs to do things like go to the supermarket and access services
Hopefully, they go a bit more granular on the next round and open some of those fringe LGAs that are without cases (especially those bordering open LGAs)
Theres also reports of a case in Narrabri
North Coast being released from lockdown will be good news for people living in Tweed Heads, as it will mark the first step of a long process before essential workers will be allowed to cross the border into Gold Coast again.
So 18th October for Retail and Hospo.
I wonder if that is vaccinated only ?
Iâm a bit confused about how this will work. When people come out lockdown if they attend an exposure site will they still need to isolate for 14 days? Because at 1000 cases a day it would on be a matter of weeks before half the population is back in isolation.
At the moment, in that scenario, they are only classed as a casual contact and theyâve only got to isolate until they get negative test result.
But itâs a good question that will need clarity.
Serious Q for you guys in Sydney. Will you be comfortable being open and âliving lifeâ with cases still at the levels they are come opening on October 18?