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NSW’s latest COVID numbers continue downward trend

NSW has now recorded more than one million coronavirus cases.

NSW has now recorded more than one million coronavirus cases. Photo: AAP

NSW has again recorded no new coronavirus deaths, as vaccination rates continue to climb and hospitalisation rates fall.

Some 182 new cases were reported on Saturday, 34 less than the number reported on Friday.

The number of people seriously ill with the virus continues to dwindle, with 191 people hospitalised with the virus, 28 of them in intensive care.

Meanwhile, the state is inching closer to the 95 per cent mark for first dose vaccinations, with 94.3 per cent of residents over 16 having stepped forward for at least one jab and 91.7 per cent two doses.

Of the 12- to 15-year-old age group, 74.9 per cent are fully vaccinated and 80.9 per cent have received at least one vaccine.

It comes as a senior government minister suggested QR codes could soon be retired in lower risk settings like coffee shops and shopping centres.

“If the vaccination rates maintain a high trajectory and we see lower case numbers, we can retire them in low risk settings but as we’ve seen in Europe you might need to turn them back on,” Mr Dominello told ABC Radio on Friday morning.

“A high risk setting would be going into a retirement village or a nursing home where clearly there will be a need for check-ins for not just the immediate future but the foreseeable future.”

The government is also considering requirements for close contacts of COVID-19 cases, to avoid schools opening and closing.

Premier Dominic Perrottet said the crisis cabinet – now called the COVID Economic Recovery Committee – will review the issue next week.

“There will be positive cases in schools, but we don’t want to close them for a substantial period of time,” he said on Friday.

“I don’t want kids sitting at home. I want them in the classroom.”

-AAP

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