NSW has recorded 18,512 new infections of Covid-19 and 29 deaths on Tuesday as the state prepares to welcome thousands of children back into classroom.
Case numbers were up slightly from the day before. There are now 2943 people in NSW hospitals with coronavirus, 183 of those in intensive care, compared to 2816 and 196 respectively on Monday.
Of the new cases in NSW, 9422 were detected through PCR tests and 9090 were from at home rapid antigen tests (RAT).
A massive 95.3 per cent of people aged over 16 have had one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, while 93.9 per cent are double vaccinated and 33.8 per cent have had their booster shot.
Up to 82.7 per cent of children aged 12-15 have had one vaccine dose and 78.3 per cent have had two.
Since children have been eligible for a vaccine, 28.7 per cent of NSW kids aged five to 11 have had their first jab.
Chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant on Monday said the virus is “stabilising” across the state, but warns cases could pick back up once students return to school.
“It is pleasing that our assessment indicates the spread of the Covid virus is slowing,” Dr Chant told media on Monday.
“Our situation is stabilising.”
Premier Dominic Perrottet on Sunday unveiled a back-to-school plan with a key plank being the use of rapid antigen tests for students and staff, to be taken twice a week.
Schools will no longer be closed once a positive case was identified, and contact-tracing would not be completed, while they will be required to carry out an improved cleaning regimen, while limited visitors will be allowed on school grounds.
Face masks will be made mandatory for all teachers and high school students, but not primary school children.
Air puxjmtzywrifiers are being installed in “problem areas” and windows in older buildings are being repaired to ensure they can be opened and allow appropriate airflow.
