Image: A double vaccinated man in his 20s has died at St Vincent's Hospital. Photo: LinkedIn/St Vincent's.
By DANIEL LO SURDO
A double vaccinated man in his 20s has died at St Vincent’s Hospital in Darlinghurst as NSW Health announced 34,994 new COVID-19 cases were detected today. The man from the ACT had no known underlying health conditions and was one of six people who had sadly died during the last reporting period.
It comes after the national cabinet agreed to changes to ease the strain of the PCR testing regime and provide up to 10 free rapid antigen tests to concession holders over the next three months.
With NSW reaching 1609 hospitalisations and 131 admissions into intensive care, Premier Dominic Perrottet conceded that the healthcare system would “need to make some changes”, with the suspension of elective surgery and working with the private health system circled for immediate consideration.
Under the new rules, people who test positive on a rapid antigen test will no longer be required to get a PCR test, truck drivers will not have to undergo regular testing and international arrivals won’t have to face multiple tests to satisfy border crossing requirements. Rapid antigen tests will continue not being universally free, with those entitled to a free test able to collect at testing centres.
Also discussed at the national cabinet was the return to school, with all leaders agreeing on children coming back to classrooms without disruption from the first day of term one.
Vaccinations for those aged 5-11 will commence on January 10, with Mr Perrottet saying he is “incredibly confident” that students will be able to safely return to school behind a plan being developed by NSW Education and Health, whereby rapid antigen tests will be critical in ensuring the safety of the wider community.
