NSW COVID-19 vaccination rate may well be the fastest in the world

NSW's COVID-19 vaccination rate has surged to rank among the fastest in the world based on available data during the last week as the the Sydney's vaccine milestone is on target to hit six million jabs today.

NSW health minister Brad Hazzard at the weekend claimed the vaccination rate in NSW "may well be" the fastest in the world. Based on data from August 16 to 22, Australia's largest state is administering 1.4 vaccinations per 100 people per day. However The ACT holds the crown for Australia's fastest vaccination rollout with a seven-day average of 3.1, although it's population is around 20 times smaller than NSW.

It's a positive step towards normality as cases across New South Wales remain high and 753 new Covid cases were recorded overnight. It comes after 818 cases were confirmed yesterday.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian  confirmed that 6 million vaccination target had already been met today, with announcements on new freedoms coming later this week. She is set to make an announcement toward end of the week as to what restrictions will ease for fully vaccinated people from September. A schools announcement is also expected.

"I'm so deeply grateful," she said.

"Thank you to everybody who has stepped up and got the jab. That equates to 60 per cent of our population across the state with at least one dose and around 30 per cent of the population double dosed.

"It is an amazing milestone."

The number she and health officials are looking towards is having 70 per cent of adults fully vaccinated by the end of October, while 80 per cent of adults could be fully immunised by mid-November.

There are currently 608 COVID-19 cases admitted to hospital, with 107 people in intensive care, 34 of whom require ventilation.

There were 138,472 COVID-19 tests reported to 8pm last night, compared with the previous day’s total of 311,083