Spike in NSW Covid cases as Health Minister pushes for booster gaps to be brought forward

NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard has warned “never say never” about regional lockdowns in response to a Covid-19 outbreak in Newcastle.

Daily case numbers soared 50 per cent on Tuesday, driven largely by a nightclub super-spreader event in the state’s Hunter region.

Mr Hazzard did not rule out reinforcing locally based lockdowns to quash any rapid spreads of infection.

“The one thing I’ve learnt that Health Minister in a pandemic, a one in 100 year pandemic is never say never,” he told ABC radio.

“So I can’t guarantee that it will always be that way.”

Mr Hazzard is also pushing for the federal advisory body on vaccines to change eligibility for booster shots to three or four months.

The state saw a massive spike in Covid-19 cases with 804 recorded on Tuesday, a jump of 268 infections and the highest number of cases since October 2.

Mr Hazzard is reminding residents that immunity to Covid-19 drops “rapidly” three to four months after receiving both doses of the vaccine, especially for those over the age of 60.

“My view as Health Minister of NSW is that ATAGI (the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation) should be looking at that very closely, with regard to in fact bringing on the boosters at as early as three or four months,” Mr Hazzard said.

“Take it very seriously and get the booster shot. I’m very concerned that people are not actually understanding the benefit of getting the booster, a third shot of vaccine is going to make all the difference.”

He confirmed NSW would be moving forward with easing restrictions from Wednesday despite the jump in local infections.

During the press conference, he gave a vastly different message on lockdowns and local restrictions.

Mr Hazzard said the state will not be “backflipping” on granting people more freedom.

“NSW is not planning on any snap lockdowns,” the minister said.

“What we’re planning on is making sure the community understands the need to be vaccinated and the need to have boosters.

“NSW has led the country, we’re not about to start backflipping on issues that we promised the community we’ll do.”

Mr Hazzard said an outbreak in Newcastle was a telling reminder of what life would be like when the state opens to the unvaccinated population on Wednesday.

Of the 804 cases reported on Tuesday, 224 are from the Hunter New England Local Health District, with more venues being identified in the growing cluster.

The health minister is urging people to keep getting vaccinated and get their booster shot.

“My message to the unvaccinated is you might be out and about now but you are very vulnerable to what is a rapidly increasing number of Covid cases here in NSW,” Mr Hazzard said.

“At the moment our government here in NSW is very keen to get us all back to normality, to our previous life.

“But our previous life is best served by people being vaccinated and preferably go and get the booster.”

Of the population aged over 16, 94.8 per cent have had their first jab, while 93.1 per cent are fully vaccinated.

Of people aged between 12 and 15, 81.4 per cent have had one dose, while 77.7 per cent have had both.

The Newcastle Covid cluster is expected to grow after authorities warned anyone who attended Finnegan’s Hotel from 6.30pm Friday December 10 to 2.30am Saturday December 11 is now a close contact.

They must immediately get tested and isolate for seven days, with household contacts also having to be tested until a negative result is received by everyone in the household.

The venue was visited by a confirmed case of Covid-19 and is expected to be spreading the Omicron variant.

NSW Health is urgently contacting anyone who attended the venue at the times listed and checked in via the QR code, and is directing them and members of their households to immediately get tested and follow public health advice.

Authorities are appealing for anyone who did not check in using the QR code to urgently get tested and isolate, and for the community to ensure other potential attendees are aware of this advice.

Genome sequencing to confirm if the cases have the Omicron variant is underway.

More than 1.9 million coronavirus cast alerts have been issued through the Services NSW app in the past two weeks as festive celebrations are seeing a spike in the state’s Covid-19 cases.

Newcastle Knights players and staff are also isolating after being linked to the ‘superspreader’ outbreak, however no players have returned a positive result.

“All 680 people who checked in using the QR code to attend the venue from 9pm on Wednesday December 8 to 3am, 9 December have been assessed as close contacts and must immediately get tested and isolate for 7 days,” NSW Health said in a statement.

NSW Health is appealing for anyone who did not check in using the QR code to urgently get tested and isolate, and for the community to ensure other potential attendees are aware of this advice.

It is believed up to 700 people including household contacts and family members are now isolating.

The outbreak is linked to the “ultimate RnB” party boat cruise on Sydney Harbour on December 4 where at least three people tested positive to the Omicron strain.