NSW needs to learn to live in a COVID-safe environment says Premier

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has declared that the state will need to learn to live in a COVID-safe environment as schools prepare to welcome students back to classrooms full time.

The latest NSW Health figures have revealed that just two additional COVID-19 cases have been diagnosed in the state in the 24 hours up until 8pm on Monday, May 18, bringing the total number of cases to 3,078.

NSW chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant said that both of those cases were in overseas arrivals who were diagnosed in hotel quarantine and that there were no new deaths in the latest reporting period.

There were 5300 people tested in the reporting period, compared with 5964 people in the previous 24 hours.

Speaking at a press conference today Ms Berejiklian said students returning to school full time from Monday, May 25, would benefit families.

“I’m looking forward to Monday bringing normality back to families and making sure that we can proceed to live with COVID-safe schools during the entire duration of the pandemic,” the Premier said.

“We don’t know when the vaccine, if there is ever going to be a vaccine, is made available, we don’t know how long that will take.

“What we have to do is learn to live in a COVID-safe environment.

“That’s what we’ve done in our schools, we’ve used the time when schools weren’t full time to make sure we got everything in place, all the supply chains, all the extra products and procedures to provide that COVID-safe environment.”