NSW is now less than 100,000 jabs away from reaching its first vaccination target of six million doses in arms. Premier Gladys Berejiklian had set the end of August as the deadline for reaching this level of vaccination, but at the press briefing on August 23, she noted that the state was likely to hit the target one week early.
While there won’t be a wholesale easing of restrictions at 6 million jabs, the premier said that advice on what restrictions could be relaxed for fully vaccinated people would be announced before the end of the month. These “freedoms” could be introduced by the first week of September, the premier said. More comprehensive easing of lockdown settings are due to come into effect once the state reaches 70 per cent of adults over the age of 16 fully vaccinated, and once 80 per cent of adults are double jabbed, lockdown measures are expected to be retired altogether.
According to the most recent data, as of August 23, NSW will reach the 70 per cent fully vaccinated target by October 24 and the 80 per cent target by November 10. Currently, just under 32 per cent of adults over the age of 16 have been fully vaccinated in NSW. Tasmania leads the nation, with 36.6 per cent of its adult population now double jabbed.