Tweed Byron Bay and Kempsey to re-enter lockdown as NSW reports 1022 new COVID-19 cases

Among the dead, was a woman in her 90s who is the third death linked to an outbreak at the Guildford aged care facility.

A man in his 80s died after acquiring COVID at Hornsby Hospital and a second man in his 80s who was infected at Canterbury Hospital

There have been 48,061 locally acquired cases and 255 deaths reported since the start of the Delta outbreak.

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NSW's vaccination goals are also on track with 82.5 per cent of eligible people vaccinated with one dose and 53 per cent with two.

It comes as 935 cases were recorded yesterday.

Northern New South Wales 

Today the NSW Health Minister revealed the new case in Byron Bay was brought in by an essential worker who travelled to the area from Sydney for work.

He also discussed issues with rapid antigen testing which the worker was subjected to. 

"Rapid antigen tests have a certain degree of efficiency and they don't always show up and in this case it didn't," Mr Hazzard said.

"A PCR test then showed later that there was positive case which is good," he said.

"The person did what was needed in that respect but again it's a balancing act as to how you deal
with this, particularly when people go for work reasons" the Health Minister said.

A number of exposure sites have been recorded in the Byron and Tweed area, including pubs, restaurants and shops.

There was also a positive case in Tamworth to the north-east of the state but stay at home orders are still under consideration because the person was not active in the community.

Playdates are back

Meanwhile, there's some much-needed respite for parents with younger children, with a 'friends bubble' kicking in at noon Tuesday.

The government has announced anyone aged 18 years or younger in NSW will be able to create a bubble of three friends and visit each other's homes for play or study.

NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard said the decision will have positive impact on the mental health of young people, who have been in lockdown for months.

"I’m absolutely delighted that crisis Cabinet has accepted the proposition that because our vaccination rates have now reached such a high level that it’s now acceptable for a limited number of young people to be able to come to one of their friend’s houses and to be able to stay there and do what young people want to do" said Mr Hazzard.

Everyone in the bubble must live in the same local government area, and any adults in the household must be fully vaccinated.

The changes come just in time for the NSW school holidays but parents will not be able to interact with other adults in the household and will only be able to drop the children off and pick them up.

The government says the new freedoms are a result of high vaccination rates.

Many parents in NSW have been juggling homeschooling, working from home and caring responsibilities at home while in lockdown.

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