It’s been two years now the world has been living with Covid-19 – and it’s amazing how our community of social beings gets used to ongoing changes.

As we await Friday’s “masks off” option, you may have also found it a bit strange (and a relief) to ditch the QR code check ins at shops this week.

The rhetoric of the “new normal” and “unprecedented” times seems to be absent from public conversation as we again, we shift our behaviours into “old” patterns.

You may also be watching the new cases tally as the days roll by, wondering if the winding back of restrictions will send us into a new Covid “wave”.

New cases

Today, we can report that there are 207 new Covid cases in our Northern NSW Local Health District – up from the 177 reported yesterday.

In Lismore LGA, we have 28 new cases reported and there are 41 Covid positive patients in local hospitals, with 3 of these in ICU.

Of the new cases, 45 were from positive PCR tests and 162 from positive rapid antigen tests (RAT).

Confirmed numbers by LGA (PCR and RAT included):

Ballina 29

Byron 19

Clarence Valley 30

Kyogle 7

Lismore 28

Richmond Valley 20

Tenterfield 1 (Woodenbong & Urbenville post code that comes under Lismore PHU)

Tweed 73

NSW Statistics

Across NSW, 4,916 positive test results (cases) were reported yesterday – including 3,657 positive rapid antigen tests (RATs) and 1,259 positive PCR tests. The 1,259 positive PCR results were returned from 15,763 PCR tests.

There has now been a total of 356,176 positive RATs recorded since reporting began on 13 January 2022.

Sadly, NSW Health is reporting the deaths of seven men with COVID-19.

One man was in his 60s, two men were in their 70s, three men were in their 80s and one man was in his 90s. Older age is a significant risk factor for serious illness and death for COVID-19, particularly when combined with significant underlying health conditions.

Five men had received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine and two men were not vaccinated. 

This brings the total number of COVID-19 related deaths in NSW since the beginning of the pandemic to 1,841.

There are currently 1,288 COVID-19 cases admitted to hospital, including 74 people in intensive care, 33 of whom require ventilation.

Vaccinations

Across NSW, more than 95 per cent of people aged 16 and over have received a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, and 94.3 per cent have received two doses to Saturday 19 February 2022.

Of children aged 12 to 15, 83.6 per cent have received a first dose of COVID-19 vaccine, and 79 per cent have received two doses

Of children aged 5 to 11, 46.7 per cent have received a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

Of people aged 16 plus, 51.6 per cent have now received a third dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. This represents 55.6 per cent of the eligible population that received their second dose more than three months ago.

Get tested

Northern NSW Local Health District is urging people to get tested for COVID-19 at the first sign of symptoms and isolate until a negative result is received.

Anyone who tests positive using a Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) is required to register their result with Service NSW. Registering your RAT result enables NSW Health to provide advice on self-isolation and managing COVID-19 symptoms at home and connect high risk people to clinical care services.

Everyone who is eligible for a booster is encouraged to book without delay through the COVID-19 vaccine clinic finder.

Booster doses of COVID-19 vaccine are now available for people aged 16 and over who had their second dose at least three months ago. We urge people to get their booster dose as soon as they are eligible, to best protect themselves, their loved ones and the community from the ongoing transmission of COVID-19.

We also strongly recommend that people aged 12 years and over who are severely immunocompromised have a third primary dose of vaccine from two months after their second dose.

NSW Health vaccination clinics are now administering the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to children aged five to 11 years old. Parents and caregivers are encouraged to make a booking for vaccination at any NSW Health vaccination clinic, at a general practitioner, or a community pharmacy.

Case data by postcode is also available on the NSW Government website.

For the most up to date COVID-19 information visit nsw.gov.au.