Gladys Berejiklian loses her patience and abruptly ends Covid press conference as she begins to back away from easing Sydney's lockdown at the end of August under intense questioning about soaring case numbers

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian abruptly walked out on her Sunday press conference after her strategy for tackling the Delta outbreak was questioned as Sydney's Covid crisis deepens.

Another 415 new cases of Covid-19 and four more deaths in NSW were confirmed on Sunday, 24 hours after a record 466 cases and four deaths on Saturday.

Grim-faced Ms Berejiklian had to lower expectations on restrictions being eased at the end of August when the lockdown is due to end.

After intense questioning about what, if any, changes could be made when six million jabs are delivered given cases are still soaring, the premier finally lost patience.

'No! No! Can I be very specific about this. We need to keep case numbers as low as possible,' she said, losing her cool in the briefing's final minutes.

'We cannot live freely, right, just because you can do it one additional thing doesn't mean living freely.'

Grim-faced Ms Berejiklian (pictured right) has had to backtrack on hopes of restrictions being lifted at the end of August

Ms Berejiklian faced a series of questions trying to clarify how many cases would have to fall by August 28 for restrictions to ease, and if NSW could end lockdown at 70 per cent vaccination if cases were still high.

'With the cases we have seen, 400s, 300s, will you still consider easing some restrictions around the six million vaccination target?' was the question that sent her over the edge.

After just one more question, Ms Berejiklian abruptly ended the press conference and walked out.

'I have answered that question a few times,' she said, in response to the similar question, before pivoting to a plea to Sydneysiders.

'Our future is in our hands. The future of our nation is our hands and we have chance to reduce case numbers and get vaccine rates up,' she said.

'The majority of people as living the right thing. I'm very encouraged by the number of people getting forward for their vaccine. Thank you. 

'Dr Chant and I are pleased and we see those numbers ticking over every day but what gives us heart attacks every day is seeing the trajectory of cases go up in certain communities can stop we can't afford to let that happen. 

'It has to go down. Please stay home. Don't leave home unless you must. Get your vaccine. Together, we will get through this.

'Thanks, everybody. We will come back tomorrow.' 

Pictured: A woman walking her dog in Bronte on Sunday. Sydneysiders have been urged to stay at home

Ms Berejiklian pleaded with people in Sydney to follow the lockdown rules and stay at home. Pictured: People in Bondi on Sunday

There are 62 people in intensive care in NSW hospitals. Pictured: A sign warning people not to travel more than 5km away from home

Ms Berejiklian earlier said it was vital to see cases numbers fall and vaccination rates hit at least 70 per cent before NSW could even consider ending lockdown.

But she was not prepared to put a specific timeline on what now might happen in the face of the 'very stubborn' Delta variant of the disease.

'We are throwing everything we can to make sure that we achieve those outcomes in NSW,' she said.

'Our aim is to have case numbers as low as possible and to have vaccination rates as high as possible. We have to achieve both for us to live freely into the future. 

'We need to keep case numbers as low as possible. Living freely will not be upon us until we have lower case numbers and 70 per cent, 80 per cent double doses.

'I cannot stress that enough.' 

Pictured: Police enforcing Covid-19 lockdown restrictions on Sunday at Bondi Beach

Pictured: Mounted Police patrol at Bondi Beach as part of public health order compliance operations on August 15

Pictured: A graph showing the rise in positive Covid-19 cases in Sydney since late June, 2021

She added: 'I think all of us accept that completely eliminating Delta is something that is near impossible.

'But what we desperately, desperately need is to get those numbers as low as possible to make it safe.

'The experience of Delta is that no other jurisdiction has been able to eliminate it. It's not possible to eliminate it completely.

'We have to learn to live with it. But the best chance we have to live with it freely and safely is to get the case numbers down as low as possible.'

The premier strongly hinted that anyone vaccinated would almost certainly be allowed to do more than those still waiting to be jabbed.

About 50 per cent of people in New South Wales have had at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine. Pictured: Police at Coogee Beach on Sunday morning

Premier Gladys Berejiklian urged Sydneysiders to stay home to stop a spike in case numbers. Pictured: Two people in Bronte on Sunday

'We are looking for what opportunities we can provide our citizens in September and October,' she said.

'Many are very keen to see us provide additional things you can do in September and October in a safe way, if you are vaccinated.' 

When asked whether the idea of getting to 'Covid=zero' was gone and if state borders would be closed until Christmas, Ms Berejiklian reiterated that authorities are looking to get case numbers as low as possible.  

Four people died in the 24 hours to 8pm on Saturday, including an unvaccinated woman in her 50s, another in her 70s who had one jab, a man in his 80s and a vaccinated woman in her 80s who had an underlying health condition. 

Ms Berejiklian said on Sunday that the new infections are concentrated around western Sydney, specifically in Blacktown, Mount Druitt, Merion, Maryland, Orban and Guildford.

People in  Sydney, Wollongong, the Blue Mountains and the Central Coast have now been in lockdown for 51 days.

The whole of NSW was plunged into a seven-day lockdown to curb the number of positive cases. Pictured: Someone in locked-down Sydney

Blacktown in Sydney's west (train station pictured) has a particularly large number of positive infections

On Saturday it was announced that the whole of NSW, including regional areas, will be plunged into a seven-day lockdown at 5pm, but Health Minister Greg Hunt wrongly told reporters on Sunday the lockdown was for 14 days. 

'The strong, clear, unequivocal support for the hard 14-day statewide lockdown is a difficult decision,' he told reporters.

'It affects a lot of people. It is the right decision and that is backed by the very significant injuries and vaccinated which were occurring but which will now be aided by additional doses.' 

There are 62 people in NSW in ICU with Covid, including a 15-year-old who also has meningitis. 

Ms Berejiklian also said NSW has hit 5 million vaccinations so far, and 50 per cent of people have had one jab. 

NSW recorded 415 new cases of Covid-19 on Sunday. 50 per cent of people in NSW have now had one jab. Pictured: A woman in Camperdown, Sydney's inner-west

What you need to know about Sydney’s Delta outbreak:

* New locally acquired cases: 415, down 51 cases from Saturday.

* Infectious while in the community (partly or fully): At least 66.

* Isolation status unknown: 273

* In hotel quarantine: Two

* Total for outbreak (since June 16): 7,745

* Total in NSW for entire pandemic: 13,314

* In hospital: 381

* In intensive care: 62

* Ventilated: 24

* Deaths in current outbreak: 48

* Deaths in NSW for entire pandemic: 104

* Tests conducted (over 24-hour reporting period): 126,790

* Vaccinations (in NSW on Friday): 105,595

* Total vaccinations in NSW (as of Friday): 5,088,004 (3,345,335 first doses and 1,742,669 second doses)

* NSW's vaccination status (aged 16 and over, as of Friday): 50.95 per cent have had one dose, 26.54 per cent are fully vaccinated.

* Borders: Greater Sydney residents are not permitted to visit regional NSW unless for essential activity. All NSW residents are currently in lockdown and cannot freely leave the state.

'New South Wales will be receiving an additional half million doses of Pfizer,' she said.

'Please know we will be putting a very good use. We will be targeting 16 to 39 year olds in those local government areas of concern.'

She also told people not to be 'fussy' about the vaccine they're offered.

'Get your hands on whatever vaccine you can, and please get vaccinated,' she said. 

It comes after New South Wales recorded its darkest day since the Covid-19 pandemic began on Saturday with 466 new infections.

By Saturday evening, the state was told another 26 venues had been exposed to the virus.

Of the new local cases, 345 were under investigation, while 87 people were in the community for all or part of the time they were infectious - a number health authorities have tried to get as close to zero as possible since the outbreak began.   

On Sunday, Health minister Greg Hunt wrongly said NSW was in a 14-day lockdown. The entire state will be in lockdown for seven days. Pictured: People on Coogee Beach on Sunday

People in Greater Sydney are not allowed to move beyong 5km away from their homes under harsh restrictions. Pictured: Police patrolling Coogee Beach

Ms Berejiklian described the current outbreak as an 'extremely concerning situation' and told reporters on Saturday morning travel restrictions would be tightened in Greater Sydney effective from Monday.

'You can do activity within your local government area but instead of 10km from your home, it will be 5km from your home and that's for all of Greater Sydney,' she said.

For those who don't know exactly where the 5km boundary from their house extends, there is an easy way to check. 

The website KM From Home allows users to enter their address and see a red circle on a map which will indicate where they can travel to.  

To use the service simply allow the website to access your location - a popup will appear - or you can type your address or even drag a pin to the correct point on the map.  

Travel restrictions in Greater Sydney have been tightened and residents will now have to be within 5km of their home if leaving for essential reasons

A handy website will show you a five-kilometre radius from your home address

The police presence will also ramp up in affected LGAs, with officers able to impose larger fines of $5,000 for breaching public health orders.

'There will be a visible and increased police presence in the affected local government areas including deployment of specialised commands, and including the riot squad, highway patrol, and increased presence more broadly,' Ms Berejiklian said. 

An additional 500 ADF personnel will be deployed on top of 300 already in NSW.

Also from next week, people in Sydney will need a permit to travel to regional NSW while single people in affected LGAs will need to register their 'single buddies' online to make it easier for police conducting compliance checks. 

The bubble was originally set up to give those living alone during lockdown a 'buddy' to socialise with but the new mandate will allow the government to keep track of who is sleeping with who - and it's now known who will have access to the information.

The police presence will also ramp up in affected LGAs, with officers able to impose larger fines of $5000 for breaching public health orders

'Unfortunately some people were trying to get around the rules imposed,' the premier said hinting that singles were visiting more than one person.

'In affected local government areas you will need to register your single buddies so people are not abusing that rule.' 

She reiterated there has been no known cases linked to people operating under the singles bubble but the new restrictions are being imposed to ensure spread doesn't occur.  

The affected areas where the restrictions will apply are Bayside, Blacktown, Burwood, Campbelltown, Canterbury-Bankstown, Cumberland, Fairfield, Georges River, Liverpool, Parramatta, Strathfield, and areas of Penrith councils. 

Anyone living in the listed LGAs can only have a single buddy who also lives within their same LGA.

While people in Sydney cannot travel more than 5km from their home, there is no restriction on visiting a partner based on 'compassionate grounds'. 

Sydneysiders - and those in the regions - will also now be handed a $3,000 fine for breaching the two-person exercise limit. There will also be $3,000 fines for Sydneysiders found wrongfully found entering regional NSW.  

Sydneysiders - and those in the regions - will also now be handed a $3,000 fine for breaching the two-person exercise limit

Ms Berejiklian told reporters people leaving their house for exercise had to be either actively exercising or supervising children.

'Exercise means exercise, many people know that but unfortunately some people were trying to get around the rules imposed,' she said.  

In positive news a $320 cash payment will be offered to anyone who needs to isolate after taking a Covid test - and would be financially affected for doing so - in a bid to prevent potentially infected residents going in to work. 

'We have the $320 immediate payment now available, so if people are waiting at home, they have access to the disaster payment if they are out of work,' Ms Berejiklian said on Saturday.

'But if there is somebody who was working who has been asked to stay home for various reasons they are waiting for their results, they will be eligible for the $320 payment.'

The payment plan for those unable to work while awaiting Covid test results will be limited to nine LGAs that have been hit the hardest in the recent outbreak.   

A string of new exposure sites around NSW were also listed on Saturday as residents undergo tough new restrictions

For those in lockdown in regional NSW, people fulfilling carers' responsibilities are permitted to have one visitor for compassionate reasons.

Two people who are in a relationship but do not live together may also visit each other.

All hospitality venues in regional areas must shut, including pubs, restaurants and cafes, except for takeaway.

Mask mandates are also in place and must be worn when working outdoors, by school staff, in outdoor markets, outdoor shopping strips, and in outdoor queues when waiting for takeaway services.

NSW Health has given a one-day grace period for planned weddings and funerals in regional areas which may still go ahead until 12.01am on Monday August 16 but only if guests are from areas that have not already been subject to a lockdown.

From Monday, only small funerals and memorial services of 10 persons will be permitted in the regions.   

REGIONAL NSW LOCKDOWN  

The lockdown applies for the whole of regional NSW, effective from 5pm Saturday until 12.01am Sunday 22 August 2021.

Everyone must stay at home unless they have a reasonable excuse to leave. They also cannot have visitors in their home from outside their household, including family and friends.

People still can have one visitor for carers' responsibilities or provide care or assistance, or for compassionate reasons, including where two people are in a relationship but do not live together.

All hospitality venues must be closed to the public, including pubs, restaurants and cafes, except for takeaway.

Some other retail premises are required to close. 

Anyone who leaves their home must carry a mask with them. 

Masks must be worn when working outdoors, by all school staff, by all people in outdoor markets, outdoor shopping strips, and in an outdoor queues waiting for products such as coffee and food.

Every employer across NSW must require their employees to work from home unless it is not reasonably practicable.

It is a reasonable excuse to leave your home for work – but only if it is not practicable to work from home.

There will be a one-day 'grace period' for planned weddings and funerals in the regional areas that have not already been subject to a lockdown.

From Monday, small funerals and memorial services of 10 persons only (excluding the persons conducting the service) will be permitted.