• NSW recorded 581 new local cases and 6 deaths on the weekend. Penrith is under harsher restrictions, and the regional centre of Armidale and surrounding areas were put into lockdown for a week after 3 cases popped up there. Premier Gladys Berejiklian yesterday said that Sydney and surrounds could see restrictions eased when a vaccination rate of 50% has been reached. Currently, 22.9% of the state’s residents are fully vaccinated.

• Queensland has lifted the lockdown on its southeast corner – and implemented another one in Cairns and Yarrabah after a taxi driver tested positive. Victoria recorded 11 new cases yesterday and said it will focus on vaccinating young people with AstraZeneca doses. “If I were 25 and AstraZeneca was the only vaccine available to me today, I would get it,” said Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton.

• At the top of the policymaking tree, Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt yesterday said that the Moderna vaccine is in the final stages of approval and will be in the rollout mix from the middle of September. But the Morrison Government’s efforts to bolster the COVID vaccination program aren’t resonating with voters, according to this morning’s Newspoll. PM Scott Morrison is in negative territory for the first time, with 47% satisfied with his performance compared to 49% who are dissatisfied.