/ 16 August 2021

COVID zero “not possible” in NSW

• NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian yesterday said she does not believe the state will return to zero COVID cases. “It’s not possible to eliminate it completely. We have to learn to live with it,” she said. That could see the state’s residents living in lockdown or under other restrictions until November when vaccination rates are projected to be more than 70%. That comes as the whole state was put into lockdown on Saturday, and 881 new local cases were reported across the weekend.

• Taking a different tack is Western Oz’s Premier Mark McGowan – he says lockdowns could continue in his state even when vaccination rates pick up. “Our preferred option is zero COVID, obviously, and that’s what we’ll attempt to do.” That approach puts him at odds with what was agreed recently by the National Cabinet.

• And to help vaccination efforts, PM Morrison yesterday said a million Pfizer vaccine “doses of hope” are on the way from Poland. They started arriving last night, and the majority will be sent to 12 local government areas in Sydney and given to under 40yos who are at most risk of spreading the virus.

Know someone who'd be interested in this story? Click to share...

The Squiz Today

Your shortcut to being informed, we've got your news needs covered.

Get the Squiz Today newsletter

Quick, agenda-free news that doesn't take itself too seriously. Get on it.