Covid NSW: 1116 new cases as premier tells state to 'get ready'
Five straight days over 1000 cases
Premier calls on businesses to prepare for opening
Outbreak's death toll reaches 100
NSW has reported a further 1,116 locally acquired Covid-19 cases as Premier Gladys Berejiklian praised the state's residents once again for impressive vaccination rates.
Ms Berejiklian revealed 148,000 people came forward for the vaccine in the previous 24-hour reporting period.
"Another huge day and a day we're deeply grateful for," she said with the state set to hit 7 million jabs by Thursday.
On Tuesday she reiterated the state's plan to open international borders by Christmas if 80 per cent of the eligible population has received both vaccine doses.
The premier again on Wednesday hinted at upcoming changes once vaccine targets are hit, telling the state to "get ready" during the month of September.
She urged businesses closed under current restrictions to ready themselves for a return to business.
"If you're a business start dusting off your COVID safety plan," she said.
"Make sure your employees are vaccinated so we can get back to life at 70 per cent double-dose vaccination."
Ms Berejiklian said once 70 per cent of the adult population is double vaccinated, she said people can expect to go out and have a meal and attend public events.
"There are many, many things we can't do now we should be expect to be able to do them when we have 70 per cent of the adult population vaccinated," she said.
Ms Berejiklian could not commit to LGAs of concern having the same freedoms as other Sydney areas however promised life would be "much freer" for those residents.
Outbreak death toll hits 100
A further four people were confirmed to have died from the virus, including a woman in her 50s at Liverpool hospital. The other victims were all women, aged in their 60s, 70s and 80s.
All women had not received a single dose of vaccine and had underlying health conditions.
The deaths took the outbreak's toll to 100.
There are currently 917 cases admitted to hospital, with 150 people in intensive care and 66 ventilated.
There were a further 29 new cases in western NSW, with Deputy Premier John Barilaro revealing 30 motorhomes were being sent to Wilcannia to help with a shortage of isolating locations for Covid patients.
There has been multiple virus detections in sewerage surveillance across the state in Murrumbidgee, Thredbo, Merimbula, Port Macquarie, Dunbogan, Tamworth and Gunnedah. All residents in those areas are urged to come forward for testing.
Ms Berejiklian was pressed by reporters on providing modelling of the worst case scenario in terms of cases, hospitalisations and deaths once the state begins to open up.
However she once again refused to provide any of the modelling provided to her government as it was constantly changing.
She said modelling had indicated hospitalisations should reach their peak in October.
The number of returning Australians allowed to fly in to Sydney Airport each week will be halved to 750 to allow health staff to be diverted back to the state's hospital system.
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