Sydney's lockdown is not likely to end in four weeks because of the government's high vaccination target and the climbing number of Covid cases infectious within the community, an expert revealed.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian on Wednesday confirmed restrictions would remain in effect until at least August 28 as the state recorded 177 new locally-transmitted cases.
The extension - the third since the highly infectious Indian delta outbreak began on June 16 - means residents of Greater Sydney, the Blue Mountains, Central Coast, Wollongong and Shellharbour - will have been under stay-at-home orders for nine weeks.
But epidemiologist Professor Adrian Esterman, from the University of South Australia, said it will likely be lengthened again due to two reasons.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian on Wednesday extended Greater Sydney's lockdown by four weeks as the state continues to grapple with the highly infectious Delta outbreak. Pictured: A pedestrian walks through Sydney's CBD on Wednesday
He said the NSW government's goal of vaccinating 80 per cent of the adult population before lifting restrictions is unlikely to be hit, and the number of Covid cases infectious in the community remains persistently high.
'Unfortunately, no matter what target NSW sets, the lockdown is likely to go well into September,' Professor Esterman told the ABC.
Only 2.5million doses have been administered in NSW over the past six months, with 7.5million more needed to reach Ms Berejiklian's 10 million target.
Professor Adrian Esterman (pictured)
Although the state's vaccination rollout is speeding up, Professor Esterman said it was unlikely the objective would be met within the next four weeks.
As of Wednesday, only just over 38 per cent of people over 16 within the state had received at leave one Covid jab.
And despite five gruelling weeks of stay-at-home orders, case numbers are continuing to surge with the 177 locally acquired infections on Wednesday bringing the total number of transmissions since the outbreak began last month to 2,574.
At least 43 of the new cases were in the community during their infectious period, prompting authorities to tighten restrictions as they grapple to contain the virus.
Ms Berejiklian has consistently asserted that reducing the number of cases in the community while infectious is key to ending the lockdown as health authorities will feel confident the contagion is under control.
Professor Esterman said it is unrealistic that Ms Berejiklian's goal to have 10 million adults across the state vaccinated will be hit by August 28. Pictured: Sydneysiders wait in a Covid vaccination queue earlier this month
From Thursday, eight local government areas in the city's west and south-west, where the outbreak is most pronounced, will be under tougher restrictions than the rest of the city.
Residents of Parramatta, Fairfield, Canterbury-Bankstown, Liverpool, Cumberland, Blacktown, Georges River and Campbelltown are forbidden from leaving their local area unless they are essential workers.
Testing requirements have also been tweaked to minimise movement in the hotspot suburbs where the virus is spreading most rapidly.
All essential workers leaving Canterbury-Bankstown will need to be tested every three days.
In Fairfield and Cumberland, only aged care and healthcare workers will have to follow the same rules.
Outside of the 'hot zones' in Greater Sydney, Central Coast, Blue Mountains, Wollongong and Shellharbour, residents are only permitted to travel 10km from home for grocery shopping, work that can't be performed from home, giving or receiving medical care and daily exercise.
Construction workers in these areas will also be allowed back on the job site as long as the person per 4sqm rule is being enforced and their are no residents on site.
Cleaners have also been given the all clear to return to work as long as there is 'zero contact' and no more than two people inside and five people
