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The new date regional travel expected to be granted to Sydneysiders

Regional travel will be allowed in a number of weeks with the NSW Government set to announce another change to the roadmap.

The state is expected to hit 80 per cent of residents over the age of 16 fully vaccinated by this weekend. It would mean restrictions are again eased ahead of schedule.

But there are concerns regional areas in NSW do not have a high enough protection rate against the highly contagious coronavirus. Some only have about 30-40 per cent of residents with two vaccine doses.

A surfer makes his way out to sea at The Pass in Byron Bay, Australia.
A surfer looks out to the sea at Byron Bay. Source: Getty Images

However, NSW Deputy Premier Paul Toole told 2GB on Friday regional travel will be given the green light from November 1.

Cabinet met on Thursday night and opted to delay regional travel because only 36 per cent of regional local government areas have populations where 80 per cent are double vaccinated against Covid-19.

"I know it's frustrating. It's not an easy decision," Mr Toole, who's also the Nationals leader, said.

"But we have a responsibility to make sure that we keep our regional communities safe.

"It's important that we don't actually open up businesses and then ... case numbers escalate putting those communities and those businesses in jeopardy."

On Wednesday, NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet said the state is “going to lead the nation out of this pandemic ... and there's so many things to do in that space”.

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet attends a press conference at Government House.
NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet wants the state to show other states and territories how to live with Covid. Source: Getty Images

Late on Thursday, NSW Health announced that from Friday restrictions for people entering NSW from the ACT will be eased and people will no longer need to complete a declaration form upon entry to NSW or follow stay-at-home rules on arrival.

Queensland residents will also no longer have to complete a declaration form on arrival due to low rates of community transmission in that state.

Some 91.4 per cent of eligible NSW residents have had at least one COVID-19 jab.

Of 12- to 15-year-olds, 72.11 per cent had received at least one dose by Wednesday, and 26.01 per cent are fully immunised.

NSW reported 406 new Covid-19 on Thursday, down from 444 the previous day.

Six more people died, taking the total for the most recent outbreak to 454.

with AAP

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