Even though there has been an uptick in COVID-19 cases in New South Wales with 9690 new infections recorded in the past 24 hours, hospitalisations continue to decrease.
This is partly due to individuals not registering their positive tests on the day of the result. Of the 2068 people admitted, 132 are in ICU while 18 people have lost their lives.
Meanwhile, NSW plans to lift COVID-19 restrictions by the end of the month, according to Premier Dominic Perrottet who said that the state is in a “good position” to remove an indoor mask mandate, density limits and check-ins.
“I would say we’re on track,” Mr Perrottet said, urging people to come forward for a third jab in order “to keep up the good work”.
“We rolled those restrictions over (to February 28). If I look across the state right now we’re in a very strong position… I’m confident with where we sit.”
Victoria on the other hand, will expand its free rapid antigen test scheme in schools to include kindergartens and childcare; Premier Daniel Andrews announced an extra free 1.6 million RATs for voluntary twice-weekly testing. Deliveries will arrive in the next two weeks with long daycare for early childhood, family daycare and occasional care to follow suit.
“This is all about trying to support every family to have that peace of mind, to have a sense of certainty about whether their child has the virus,” he said.
Moreover, the state has recorded 9785 new cases of COVID-19 and 20 deaths today, with 575 people in hospital, including 72 in ICU.
Tasmania has had a small increase in new coronavirus cases with 601 positive test, AAP reports. Ten people are in hospital, one of them in intensive care.
Finally, anti-vaccine mandate protests will return to Parliament House today, to coincide with politicians returning to Canberra. People opposing the vaccine mandates from every state and territory are expected to join.
