Deflated and fed-up Sydneysiders are calling for Gladys Berejiklian to resign amid Saturday’s record number of new Covid-19 cases, criticising the Premier for her tendency to dodge questions.
Today’s 825 caseload is the highest number recorded by any Australian jurisdiction in a 24-hour period since the coronavirus pandemic began. There were also three more deaths.
Speaking at today’s update, Ms Berejiklian repeatedly urged people to get vaccinated in order to meet the 70 per cent goal by the end of October, and projected 80 per cent milestone in mid-November, under a plan to live with the strain but protect the community as best possible.
But when asked questions about her handling of the outbreak and perceived double-standards, with different restrictions in Sydney sparking a “tale of two cities”, she was defensive and obstructive.
Ms Berejiklian’s longwinded answers avoided the original questions, prompting frustrating on social media that saw the hashtag #GladysResign trending.
RELATED: Follow our live coronavirus updates here
“Every day (we are) turning to you as the leader of the state for some level of hope (but) the numbers are going up. You announced tougher restrictions on the southwestern part of city yesterday. If we are all in this together, why isn’t this a blanket rule across the state to reduce mobility?” a journalist posed to the Premier in the first question of the day.
Speaking for several minutes in a 1050-word spiel, Ms Berejiklian instead addressed the vaccination rate again.
“What is really important to note is that while case numbers are going up, the more important figure going up is the vaccination rate,” she began.
“The vaccination rate is where we can look forward to living life freely. What we need to do is to make sure that when we get to that 70 per cent double dose in New South Wales and that 80 per cent New South Wales double dose, while trying to keep the case numbers as low as possible.
“What we do also have to accept is how we actually talk about this disease moving forward,” she added.
“Once you get to 70 per cent double doses, it will be a situation where the vaccine rate will be more critical than how many cases we have.”
RELATED: Fury over superspreader party
Going on to reiterate her urge for people to come forward for their jabs, Ms Berejiklian asserted that no state was immune to the delta strain.
“We have seen examples in other parts of Australia where even under very strict lockdown conditions, the virus keeps growing, that’s how insidious it is.
“What is important for us to focus on is to get out loved ones vaccinated. Are you vaccinated? Come forward and get vaccinated because that is how we live life freely,” she echoed, before defending her response to the outbreak.
“There will always be debate about going too hard, going to soft, we started off with 11 cases in New South Wales, 17 overnight when we went into lockdown, and it just demonstrate that no matter how hard we work and no matter if 99 per cent of people are doing the right thing, there is an element of Delta that nobody can control.”
Map of NSW COVID-19 case locations, cases and tests
Click on the three lines on the top-left corner to change the map view by cases, tests and time period.
In a final vaccination plea, she concluded: “I expect every decision we take to be scrutinised, commented on, but I also need to be very real about what Delta is and what Delta is doing … We have been through a lot in the last few years and not just with a pandemic, and we will get through this. The biggest challenge for us as a government is to make sure we keep the community positive and keep the community going during this very difficult time.”
The baffling answer — and other rambling responses throughout the press conference relating to case numbers and contact tracing — were not lost on those watching along at home.
“I honestly would respect her so much more if she stopped word salad spinning everyday. I hardly tune in anymore because there’s no real information to be gained,” one Twitter user said.
“Her words are political doublespeak, nothing more. Not particularly useful during a public health press conference,” another added.
The 825 additional infections today brings the total number of active cases in NSW to 9803. Of the active cases, 516 have been admitted to hospital with 85 in intensive care and 29 on ventilators.
Meanwhile, Ms Berejiklian applauded the 120,000 people that came forward to get vaccinated in the past 24 hours, stating NSW was now at 55 per cent with a first dose and nearly 30 per cent fully vaccinated.
“At this stage, if current rates of vaccination continue, NSW will get to 70 per cent double doses by the end of October and 80 per cent double doses by mid-November,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“Everybody should get the vaccine now,” she urged NSW residents.
“Don’t be fussy on the vaccine. Go forth and get your vaccine with any vaccine offered to you.”
https://news.google.com/__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?oc=5
2021-08-21 03:44:22Z
52781811388362
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Calls for Gladys Berejiklian to resign over devastating new record and Sydney’s cruel divide - NEWS.com.au"
Post a Comment