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Leaked report reveals what NSW restrictions will be eased first

With the NSW lockdown expected to end on August 28, residents are looking to the state government for an indication of what restrictions will be eased first.

The return of outdoor dining, the reopening of gyms and students going back to face-to-face learning could be a few of the first steps out of lockdown, according to government sources of The Sydney Morning Herald.

Although an official plan is yet to be announced, Premier Gladys Berejiklian says a combination of case numbers and vaccination rates will determine the path out of lockdown.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian speaks during a COVID-19 update and press conference.
A roadmap to freedom is yet to be formally announced but could include students back in the classroom and outdoor dining to resume. Getty Images)

"Can I stress that August is the month where we all should come forward and get vaccinated," she said on Monday.

The Premier has set a goal of having NSW administer six million vaccine doses by the end of the month.

Pubs, gyms and schools set to reopen first

The Sydney Morning Herald reported that Deputy Premier John Barilaro was preparing the plan which was meant to be released last week before restrictions were extended until the end of August.

Sources say the first restrictions to be lifted when vaccination rates are between 50 and 60 per cent, is the return of face-to-face learning, the return of outdoor dining at hospitality venues, and the reopening of gyms.

Case numbers and vaccination rates the key

Ms Berejiklian has shifted her focus from reducing the number of Covid-19 cases to increasing the vaccination rates, highlighting it as the path out of lockdown,

"The challenge for us is we don't know where the case numbers will be in a month's name," she said at Tuesday's Covid update, adding she doesn't want to "raise expectations" when there's a lot of "hard work" to be done.

"It's a combination of case numbers plus the vaccination rate that will allow us to consider what restrictions we can ease at that time, and therefore it's really important for us to manage expectations."

'Too early' to announce changes to lockdown

Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant yesterday said it was too early to announce any change to the current lockdown, which is due to end on August 28.

"I don't want to even think about what the situation will be at the end of August. It's too premature. We've got four weeks, we need to give it our all," she said.

"We need to drive the numbers down. These are too high."

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