NSW marks deadliest Covid day with 15 deaths, aged care visitors to be allowed from Oct 11

NSW has recorded 863 new local coronavirus cases and 15 deaths on Wednesday September 29, marking the state’s deadliest day, while the premier announced a date for visitors to return to aged care.

There are 1082 Covid-19 cases in hospital, with 212 people in intensive care – 108 of whom need ventilators.

Of the deaths, two people were in their 40s, two in their 50s, four in their 60s, three in their 70s, one in their 80s, and three in their 90s.

The state is also just shy of having 62 per cent of all eligible people fully vaccinated, while more than 86 per cent have had at least one dose.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian said she was confident the state would hit 90 per cent first doses next week.

“We are inching closer to that 70 per cent double dose figure,” she said.

“And 12 to 15-year-olds, 44.5 per cent of them have already had a first dose, which is outstanding given the vaccine was only made available a few weeks ago.”

The state is projected to reach 70 per cent of people being fully vaccinated on October 6.

Berejiklian also announced aged care restrictions would soon ease in NSW and fully vaccinated people will be able to visit residents in aged care facilities from Monday October 11.

Two fully vaccinated people will be allowed to visit friends or relatives in aged care once a day.

“Additional protections will be necessary when there are high levels of COVID-19 community transmission. In particular, we advocate for provision of Rapid Antigen Tests to give extra protection for residents, staff and visitors,” said ACSA chief executive Paul Sadler.

He said ACSA welcomed the plans, but will lobby the government for more detail on the future of visitation in aged care, once the country is fully opened up.

“We need public health experts at the highest level to set a policy that balances all the pandemic risks against the absolutely critical need for social and personal support from family and friends," he said.

“These are extremely difficult choices, because an outbreak in a residential home can be deadly and very hard on all residents and staff. This is the case even now that we are almost fully vaccinated in residential aged care.

When restrictions are removed, cases in the community will inevitably go up Sadler said, and that puts residential aged care at increased risk.

“All governments must have a clear policy and plan for our visitation in aged care that will work when the virus is in the community but we have high vaccination rates."

Vaccination protests: Workers to rally in Sydney, Melbourne against jab mandates

Thousands of workers are planning to strike across the nation in protest against mandatory vaccinations.

The collective strike, called the #ReclaimTheLine protest, has been organised by the newly formed National Education United alliance.

The group claims to have more than 18,000 members, including teachers and workers from multiple industries, such as police, paramedics, aged care workers, health care workers, firefighters, construction workers, airline staff, miners and truck drivers.

A brief blurb on its website references “legitimate health concerns” about Covid-19 vaccinations.

NEU spokesman Christian Marchegiani, a strength and conditioning coach, said the strike was a show of support for anyone facing the threat of losing their jobs.

“The government’s ‘no jab, no job’ policies are being implemented through coercion, manipulation or incentives, and everyday Aussies are losing their rights to work,” he said.

“Is this really the type of society we want live in? Each of us has to decide where we draw our line in the sand and to take relevant action, with courage and heart.”

The rallies are set to be held in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Canberra, Perth, Byron Bay, Newcastle and Port Macquarie.

In Victoria, teachers and all staff who work in schools need to have had their first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine by October 18 to continue working under the vaccination mandate by the state government.

They will need fully vaccinated by November 29 unless a medical exemption applies.

Workers in a range of industries across Australia are now facing mandatory vaccinations as the nation looks to open up despite rising Covid-19 cases.

Victorian construction workers needed to have had their first dose of the vaccine by last Thursday.

NSW healthcare workers need to have had at least one dose by Thursday to continue to work and be fully vaccinated by November 30.

The latest protest comes on the back of a week of unrest in Melbourne where police clashed with demonstrators protesting for the end of lockdowns and against mandatory vaccinations.

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