NSW has reported 8183 new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 and 32 deaths.
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Some 1650 people are in hospital with COVID-19, after the number of hospitalisations fell below 2000 this week for the first time since January.
On Saturday the Australian Medical Association NSW joined a campaign from their federal counterpart calling on the Commonwealth to "pay their fair share for public hospitals".
The AMA is aiming to make hospital funding a major issue for the upcoming election, and wants an agreement struck for 50-50 funding between the federal and state governments.
The group said its campaign was aimed at highlighting chronic underfunding which it says has contributed to ambulance ramping, emergency waiting times and delays in elective surgery.
"Public hospitals were under pressure before the pandemic, but COVID really exposed the cracks in our system. Staff under-resourcing remains a difficult issue in NSW," AMA NSW president Danielle McMullen said.
On Friday the government defended its handling of the pandemic during the Omicron wave.
Health Minister Brad Hazzard and Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant along with other senior NSW Health staff, healthcare unions and academics fronted state parliament's public accountability committee.
In his evidence, Mr Hazzard brushed off queries from the committee, chaired by Greens MP David Shoebridge, that he was warned the December 15 scale back of restrictions would led to "death and despair" in aged care.
The changes in December included ending mandatory mask wearing and eased density limits in venues, the inquiry was told.
Mr Hazzard said while there were "constant" discussions with aged care providers, "there was nothing on that specific decision", and he rejected claims of a "massive breakdown in communication" with the sector.
"We have managed this issue to the very best of our ability ... NSW and Victoria have done an extraordinary job".
The minister also denied suggestions that, regarding Omicron, the government had "let it rip" over summer against health advice, insisting at the inquiry that the community knew it was trying its best.
"Nothing has been done lightly, it's been done with great gravity," Hazzard noted labelling the state's death rate, currently about 1600, as "infinitesimally small" compared to other countries.
Aged Care and Community Services chief executive Paul Sadler accused the government of knowing the aged sector was unprepared for the Omicron outbreak, but went head with relaxing COVID-19 restrictions in December anyway.
It was the first hearing since September as the government loosened lockdown rules.
The inquiry coincided with the third Sydney CBD Summit on Friday where Premier Dominic Perrottet resisted pressure to promise his government would ease the few remaining COVID-19 restrictions by the end of the month.
"They were topics on the agenda, but ultimately ... that's a matter for a cabinet," he told reporters.
"This is about ensuring that when we do open up ... we come back strongly."
The rules, which include mandatory masks in office spaces, density limits on hospitality and a recommendation people work from home, have been extended until at least February 27.
Australian Associated Press
