SYDNEY, Aug 17 (NNN-AGENCIES) – The premier of the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW), conceded today that, some restrictions would continue for citizens of the state, even when vaccination targets are reached, amid the worsening COVID-19 crisis.
NSW reported 452 new locally acquired cases, in the 24 hours to 8:00 p.m. local time last night, and the source of infection for 323 is under investigation.
The death toll from the latest outbreak, which began on Jun 16, also rose to 113, following the death of a Sydney woman in her 70s.
At her daily news conference, NSW Premier, Gladys Berejiklian, urged people aged in their 70s, to get vaccinated, saying, they needed to “go and get a jab, no matter the circumstances.”
Overall, in the past 24 hours to 8:00 p.m. last night, 36,817 doses of vaccine were administered throughout NSW.
As for the vaccination strategy, Berejiklian said, Sept and Oct would be the “most difficult months,” adding that, even after then, there would be major challenges.
She promised that “life will be freer” once 70 percent of the population are vaccinated, but added, “it doesn’t mean we’ll be completely free; it doesn’t mean we will let the virus be rampant in the community.”
Meanwhile, the southern state of Victoria recorded 24 new local cases today, after the state’s Premier, Daniel Andrews, imposed a curfew on the capital city of Melbourne, and extended the lockdown for another two weeks.
Andrews was also critical of the “selfish choices” of people, who reportedly breached restrictions, saying, he was “angry and disappointed” to see the video of an engagement party, which about 70 people attended, including several doctors.
The state of Queensland, north of NSW, recorded only one new local case today, in what state Premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk, described as “excellent news.”– NNN-AGENCIES
