New South Wales has recorded 1,220 new locally acquired COVID-19 cases and eight more deaths, as the government warns the unvaccinated will be "left behind" once the state reaches its vaccination targets.
The deaths reported in the 24 hours to 8pm on Monday included a man in his 50s who died at Nepean Hospital, a man in his 60s who died at home, a woman in her 70s who died at Nepean Hospital, a man in his 80s who died at Westmead Hospital and a man in his 70s who died at Liverpool Hospital.
Two men in their 90s also died. The death of a woman in her 70s from western NSW at Dubbo Hospital was announced on Monday, but included in Tuesday's figures.
There have been 139 COVID-related deaths in NSW since the start of the current outbreak.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian said more than 74 per cent of the eligible population in the state has now received one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, as the state pushes towards 70 per cent double-dose coverage, triggering freedoms for the fully vaccinated.
Further freedoms will be restored when the state reaches 80 per cent double-dose coverage.
Ms Berejiklian said people in hotspot areas coming forward in even higher numbers.
“Blacktown is over 85 per cent first dose, Camden is over 82 per cent, Parramatta is over 81 per cent, Canterbury-Bankstown is over 76 per cent and Dubbo is over 77 per cent," she told reporters on Tuesday.
"We're really pleased with those results and we ask people to keep coming forward and, of course, our message is, don't be left behind.
"When we open up at 70 per cent double dose, it will be only for those who are vaccinated. There's time now to get your first dose and fit in your second dose before NSW starts opening up."
But Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant said double-dose coverage for those over 50 and 70 remains too low, despite long-standing eligibility.
NSW Health administered 28,812 COVID-19 vaccines in the past 24 hours, taking the total number of vaccines administered in the state to 7,587,842. More than 41 per cent of eligible people in NSW are fully vaccinated.
The government is also working on an update to the Service NSW app which combines QR check-ins with vaccination status, so the fully vaccinated can easily check into venues.
This will be trialled ahead of a statewide rollout, but the Premier has remained tight-lipped as to which suburbs will be first.
"Where we decide to have any pilots would be up to the health advice," Ms Berejiklian said.
"What we've been encouraged to do, is to make sure our Service NSW app allows people to check in and also indicate they've been fully vaccinated.
"We'll get advice from [NSW] Health as to where the best locations are for that [trial]. I'm sure there will be a variety of locations to make sure we get it right."
Deputy Premier John Barilaro said this technology will not be ready in time for 13 September, when up to five fully vaccinated adults who live outside the 12 local government areas (LGAs) of concern are allowed to gather outdoors.
Those who live in the LGAs of concern will be able to leave home for an hour of recreation.
Instead, the federal government's Medicare app will be relied upon for proof.
Health authorities say 1,151 people with COVID-19 are in hospital with 192 in intensive care, 75 of whom require ventilation.
Of Tuesday's cases, 814 were from western and south-western Sydney. In regional NSW, 27 cases were from the Western Local Health District and four were from the Far Western Health district. Seven cases were recorded in the state's jails.
There has also been a call for people who helped in the search for a missing three-year-old boy in NSW's Hunter region to get tested for COVID-19 after a community case.
Anthony "AJ" Elfalak was reunited with his family on Monday, three days after he went missing from his Putty home.
The Putty Community Association said there was a local case of COVID-19 at the St Shenouda Monastery, which was visited by the boy's family on Monday.
"All who participated in the search for AJ are urgently requested to take a COVID test," the association posted on Facebook on Tuesday.
More than 130 people searched the property, with volunteers helping police on foot and dirt bikes.
Pauline Deweerd, Executive Director Aboriginal Health at St Vincent’s Health, spoke directly to Aboriginal communities on Tuesday, urging them to come forward for vaccination.
Aunty Pauline Deweerd, the executive director of Aboriginal health for St Vincents Hospital, speaks to media during a press conference in Sydney. Source: AAP
"Family and connections are a huge part of our culture. Being with our mothers, our fathers, our grandparents, sister and brothers, and extended families, is important to us, and our identity and belonging," she said.
"I know what is being asked of us to do is sometimes hard. I also know we want to come together and have the freedoms of what we have always enjoyed in coming together with mob.
"But right now, our mob need to survive this pandemic. Staying home and getting vaccinated is the way that we'll get through this."
Additional reporting: AAP
SBS is providing live translations of daily New South Wales and Victoria COVID-19 press conferences in various languages.
