Australia SMASHES coronavirus: NSW goes 51 days without a single local case as entire country enjoys its tenth straight day with no Covid
- There were nine new cases in hotel quarantine on Monday with no local cases
- Victoria has gone 11 straight days with no recorded cases of local transmission
- As of Sunday, more than 81,000 Australians had been vaccinated against Covid
Australia has gone 10 consecutive days without a single locally-acquired case of Covid-19.
New South Wales enjoyed 51 consecutive days without a local case on Monday, while Victoria extended its run to 11 days on Tuesday.
Western Australia also recorded two new cases in hotel quarantine, bringing the number of active cases in the state up to seven.
South Australia, Tasmania, the Northern Territory and Australian Capital Territory were all virus-free.
New South Wales enjoyed 50 consecutive days without a local case on Monday (pictured: beachgoers at Coogee in Sydney)
Pictured: Melburnians coming out of lockdown on February 18. Victoria has now gone 10 days without a local case
There were nine new cases in hotel quarantine, but Australia continues to outperform most of the world as more people are vaccinated against the respiratory illness.
Australia’s top public servant will face the Senate’s coronavirus response committee on Tuesday, with many still frustrated about the potential for snap state border closures.
Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet secretary Phil Gaetjens is expected to face questions about his efforts to better coordinate restrictions between states.
Mr Gaetjens is working with his state and territory counterparts on analysing changing risk profiles as vaccinations boost Australia efforts to remain on top of coronavirus.
Pictured: A woman receiving a Covid-19 vaccination in Melbourne on February 22
Pictured: People walking in Melbourne CBD on February 18 after coming out of lockdown
The largest immunisation program in the nation’s history has fuelled hopes state border closures and snap lockdowns could be relegated to history.
As of Sunday, more than 81,000 Australians had been vaccinated, but the number is below the federal government’s target.
Complicated logistics have hampered the initial speed of the rollout, which has started with frontline workers and aged care residents.
General practitioners will be part of the rollout from March 22, when older and vulnerable Australians will be able to get the virus jab from their local doctor.
Victoria has extended its run of zero Covid cases to 10 days – which is also the national mark (Pictured: People in Melbourne during the height of the pandemic in July 2020)
The staggered rollout is expected to eventually include more than 4000 clinics.
Vaccines are free and voluntary for Australians, with GPs to get $55 if patients get their two doses from the same clinic.
The government is also taking steps to ensure communications are targeted to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, who have an increased risk of serious cases.
Coronavirus vaccines will start arriving on the Torres Strait islands within the next few days before Cape York joins the rollout soon after.
The islands closest to Papua New Guinea will receive the first vaccinations given the risk the disease could spread from Australia’s close neighbour.