Vaccine doses boost for ACT as national Covid crisis escalates

Growing case numbers in Victoria yesterday prompted the state's premier Dan Andrews to warn it was on the precipice of the Delta variant escaping the control of health authorities, after it recorded 55 new infections.

The NSW government responded to a third consecutive day of case numbers exceeding 600 by extending Sydney's lockdown and tightening restrictions in the state.

After recording four deaths and 644 new cases the state government imposed a curfew in Sydney's Covid hotspots, mandated mask wearing, and introduced a permit system for people travelling between Sydney and regional NSW.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian said NSW must throw everything at the coronavirus as she extended Greater Sydney's lockdown by a month to September 30.

"It is time for all of us to bunker down, and take this as seriously as we can," she said.

ACT government officials expressed cautious confidence as daily case numbers dropped to 12, but Chief Minister Andrew Barr warned of a tough road ahead for Canberra and said its path out of restrictions would depend on NSW.

The Commonwealth will provide the ACT government 14,040 additional doses of Pfizer next week after securing extra supply from Poland, growing to 50,000 the number of both Pfizer and AstraZeneca doses to be shared with the territory and primary providers.

This week the federal government is on track to provide 2000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine and 15,330 doses of Pfizer to the ACT government. It also supplied more than 14,200 doses of AstraZeneca and 4300 doses of Pfizer vaccine to Canberra primary care and pharmacy vaccination sites.

ACT Liberal Senator Zed Seselja said Canberra had led the way on vaccinations, as health authorities recorded 57 per cent of eligible Canberrans had their first dose.

"Our frontline workers do a phenomenal job, and have truly answered the call of duty over the last week," he said.

Ahead of a national cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Scott Morrison yesterday put pressure on states and territories to follow a plan to reopen the nation once it hit vaccination targets.

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Amid growing discord among governments over a national deal on the roadmap, Mr Morrison said he expected states and territories to uphold the agreement to ease restrictions when vaccinations reached 70 and 80 per cent of people aged 16 and over.

The national deal appeared to fray as state and territory leaders questioned details of the roadmap to reopening, and called for Covid case numbers to be considered in addition to vaccinations before the nation emerged from lockdowns.

However, Mr Morrison stood firm on the deal, which was agreed at national cabinet earlier this month. The four-step reopening plan says a state can ease restrictions once it reaches a 70 per cent vaccination rate, and when the national average hits the same figure.

Once the figures reach 80 per cent, lockdowns would be limited even further.

Asked whether the government would withhold financial support to states and territories that went into lockdown while having vaccination rates at 70-80 per cent, the prime minister said: "I expect the states and territories to live up to the plan that they've agreed to."

More than 51 per cent of the nation have had their first Covid vaccine dose and 28.9 per cent have had both doses, Mr Morrison said.

Health Minister Greg Hunt said the number of Australians fully vaccinated would pass 6 million on Friday. Among people aged over 70, he said 84.6 per cent had received at least one dose.

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