NSW Covid update: premier declares Sydney outbreak a ‘national emergency’ and asks for vaccines to be redirected

Australia’s leaders have been urged to refocus the national coronavirus vaccination strategy after NSW recorded its highest daily infections during Sydney’s outbreak.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the situation was a national emergency ahead of a meeting with prime minister Scott Morrison and state and territory counterparts.

She warned the rollout was crucial to stopping the virus seeping to other states and preventing further lockdowns.

“We need to have a discussion about refocusing the national vaccination strategy,” she told reporters on Friday.

NSW wants extra doses of Pfizer to vaccinate younger people in Sydney’s west and southwest, the epicentre of the outbreak.

The state recorded 136 new local cases of the contagious Delta variant that has led to lockdowns affecting more than half of Australia’s population.

Chief medical officer Paul Kelly told a Senate committee said it was a “very serious situation” in NSW.

‘National emergency’ as NSW records 136 Covid cases and premier calls for vaccine ‘refocus’ – video

Vaccine campaign co-ordinator John Frewen said discussions with NSW about the refocus of the rollout were underway.

“Vaccines are only one part of the response to an outbreak like this … lockdowns, testing, tracing, isolation, social-distancing, masks – all of that is really critical,” he said.

Lieutenant General Frewen said a revised immunisation plan would be released after the national cabinet meeting.

It will cover increased coordination, boosting public confidence and ensuring a safe and efficient rollout

“By the latter months of the year, I want to have maximum convenience in vaccination, so that difficulty of getting vaccines … isn’t an excuse,” he told a Senate committee.

Since he began his role, the rollout has gone from 5.2m to 10.6m doses.

But just 15% of the nation’s population aged 16 and above have received both jabs.

Health department secretary Brendan Murphy rejected the link between the latest lockdowns and the rollout’s speed.

Adults under the age of 40 will still need to wait until September or October to access Pfizer vaccines nationwide.

Final approval for children aged between 12 and 15 to receive the Pfizer jab is expected to be given by the end of next week.

Those who are immunocompromised and with underlying health conditions will be prioritised.

Health minister Greg Hunt says the government hopes to roll out the vaccine to all children in that age group, including through schools, starting later this year.

But the rollout for the broader under 40s group is still expected to begin in September or early October.

“It’s a window, not a specific date at this stage,” Hunt told ABC radio on Friday.

AstraZeneca remains the preferred vaccine for people aged 60 and over because of a low risk of rare blood clots.

Victoria recorded 14 new locally acquired cases in the 24 hours to Friday, raising hopes restrictions could be eased next week.

National cabinet is expected to endorse the terms of reference for an updated report into the quarantining of returned overseas travellers.

South Australia, which is also in lockdown, recorded two new cases on Thursday.