Across NSW, more than 95 per cent of people aged 16 and over have received a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, and 94.5 per cent have received two doses to Tuesday 15 March 2022.

• Of children aged 12 to 15, 83.5 per cent have received a first dose of COVID-19 vaccine, and 79.1 per cent have received two doses.
• Of children aged 5 to 11, 48.6 per cent have received a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
• Of people aged 16 plus, 57.6 per cent have now received a third dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. This represents 61.5 per cent of the eligible population that received their second dose more than three months ago.

The total number of vaccines administered in NSW is now 17,191,475 with 4,962,703 doses administered by NSW Health to 8pm last night and 12,228,772 administered by the GP network, pharmacies and other providers to 11.59pm on Tuesday 15 March 2022.

NSW Health encourages everyone who is eligible to receive a vaccination or their booster dose to book into a NSW Health vaccination clinic or another provider without delay through the COVID-19 vaccine clinic finder.

Sadly, NSW Health is today reporting the deaths of five women with COVID-19.

Three women were aged in their 70s and two women were aged in their 90s.

Of the five women, three had received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine and two were unvaccinated. Older age is a significant risk factor for serious illness and death for COVID-19, particularly when combined with significant underlying health conditions.

Two women were from south western Sydney, one woman was from western Sydney, one woman was from the Central Coast and one woman was from the Port Macquarie region.

NSW Health expresses its sincere condolences to their loved ones.

This brings the total number of COVID-19 related deaths in NSW since the beginning of the pandemic to 2,001.

There are currently 1,036 COVID-19 cases admitted to hospital, including 34 people in intensive care, 17 of whom require ventilation.

There were 20,087 positive test results notified in the 24 hours to 4pm yesterday – including 12,348 positive rapid antigen tests (RATs) and 7,739 positive PCR tests. The 7,739 positive PCR results were returned from a total of 47,495 PCR tests.

There has now been a total of 523,822 positive RATs recorded since reporting began on 13 January 2022.

Following further investigation, 26 COVID-19 cases detected by PCR tests have been excluded and 717 cases previously reported as RAT-positive have been confirmed as PCR-positive cases, bringing the total number of cases detected by PCR tests in NSW since the beginning of the pandemic to 1,007,619.

The latest data report up until 12 March shows reported cases of COVID-19 increased in NSW, while hospital and intensive care unit (ICU) admissions for people with COVID-19 stabilised during the previous three weeks after declining.

Most cases continue to be identified by rapid antigen test (RAT), particularly in regional areas. The Omicron variant (B.1.1.529) is currently the dominant COVID-19 variant of concern circulating in the NSW community. Both main sub-lineages of the Omicron variant (BA.1 and BA.2) are circulating in NSW, with the proportion of BA.2 increasing in recent weeks.

We know how COVID-19 is spread and we know what controls it, so we know how we can act as an individual to protect ourselves and our loved ones, as well as the older and more vulnerable members of our community.

We can take four simple precautions to protect each other. Please:

• get your booster vaccine
• get a test and isolate immediately if you have any COVID symptoms,
• use a mask in indoor settings where you cannot maintain a safe physical distance from others, and
• clean your hands regularly.

Cases confirmed by PCR test and registered as RAT positive in the 24 hours to 4pm 16 March 2022, by local health district

COVID-19 vaccination update

*to 11:59pm 15 March 2022

*notified from 8pm 15 March to 8pm 16 March 2022.