There are 1927 people in hospital with the virus, with 151 of those in intensive care, up from 1795 and 145 patients respectively on Saturday.NSW Health has also declared that food logistics and manufacturing workers who become close contacts of a Covid-19 patient will be allowed to leave self-isolation and go to work if they have no symptoms.The new isolation exemptions will only apply to “critical workers” and have been brought in by the state government after food and manufacturing supply chains were paralysed by staff going into isolation.“Workers will only be eligible to leave self-isolation if their employer determines that their absence from the workplace poses a high risk of disruption to the delivery of critical services or activities, and they are unable to work from home,” a NSW Health statement said.“These workers must wear a mask and comply with risk-management strategies put in place by their employer, including daily Rapid Antigen Tests.“Any worker who tests positive or who develops symptoms of COVID-19 must self-isolate.”The exemptions will apply to critical workers in the following roles: biosecurity and food safety workers in agriculture, manufacturing workers involved in the production of food, beverage, groceries, cleaning and sanitary products and food logistics, delivery, and grocery fulfilment workers.Emergency services workers who are necessary for the delivery of critical services and who cannot work from home will also be exempt.Meanwhile, of the over 16 population, 93.7 per cent are double-dose vaccinated while 95.1 per cent have had at least one shot.There were 98,986 PCR tests processed in the 24 hours to 8pm on Saturday.Authorities have said residents will be able to log positive rapid antigen test results online through Service NSW from later this week.NSW hospitals remain under significant pressure with high numbers of hospitalisations and the loss of many medical staff to Covid-19 isolation requirements.Government officials have said cases are expected to climb higher over the coming weeks and peak in the third or fourth week before a decline in February, according to their modelling.NED-5192-DT-App-Banner
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