More western districts shires may be permitted to exit lockdown later this week with Gilgandra, Brewarrina and Narromine to have their status reviewed tomorrow.

All three shires have recorded no new COVID infections for around 14 days, or almost three weeks in the case of the Gilgandra LGA, which had its last case identified on Thursday 2 September

Several local politicians and communities from these LGAs had been campaigning to be released from Stay-at-Home orders in recent days.

Member for Dubbo Dugald Saunders said the situation in areas currently under stay-at-home orders were being reviewed by an expert panel on a weekly basis.

"There are several LGAs being looked at to come out and I would expect some fairly positive news for many of those in the next day - that would include Gilgandra, Narromine, Orange and Brewarrina on that list that will be decided tomorrow," Mr Saunders said.

"There would be an expectation that unless something happened in the next 24 hours they may well be a good chance of coming out from stay-at-home orders."

Up to 8pm last night, were seven new cases of COVID-19 identified in the WNSWLHD, one of which was from the Western Plains area in Walgett.

The remaining cases were from Dubbo (four), Cowra (one) and Mid-Western LGA (one). This takes the cumulative total of cases in WNSWLHD to 1080. Three cases, including the Walgett case, had been infectious in their communities.

NSW venues of concern continue to be updated as investigations from WNSWLHD teams continue. The full list of venues of concern across the region can be found on the NSW Health website.

Surveillance testing now applies to whole Health District

Across the Western LHD, a total of almost 3000 tests were conducted yesterday, which authorities said was a good improvement but daily testing still needed to more than double that to have a good idea of the current presence of COVID in the WNSWLHD.

WNSWLHD Chief Executive Scott McLachlan said this should become easier with the decision to expand their surveillance testing program across the entire LHD from tomorrow (Wednesday 22 September).

"We're very keen to see testing expanded right across the region," he said.

"Every town across the region has the ability to get tested. If you don't have symptoms and no-one has symptoms in your household, you don't have to isolate."

WNSWLHD Chief Executive Scott McLachlan was encouraged by dropping case numbers but said daily testing numbers still needed to be at least double what they were currently.  

Mr McLachlan said the surveillance testing had been very effective in communities like Cowra and would hopefully encourage people across the region to get tested on a regular basis without fear of needing to isolate unless they test positive.

An updated list of other pop-up testing locations across the WNSWLHD can be found here.

Compliance improving

NSW Police Western Region Commander Assistant Commissioner Geoff McKechnie also provided an update on compliance with the COVID rules across the region.

He said since 16 August, the WNSWLHD had recorded a total of 3908 infringements, with decreasing frequency in recent days

Of these, 154 were in the Walgett shire, 104 were in the Coonamble shire, 87 were in the Bourke shire and 67 were in the Brewarrina shire.

Though Mr McKechnie said it had been a pleasing decrease in infringements being issued, it was important to not become complacent, especially when it came to areas that didn't have active COVID cases.

Assistant Commissioner Geoff McKechnie said though the vast majority of people were trying to do the right thing, now was not a time for complacency.

Vaccination focus shifts to "crucial" second doses

Vaccination numbers across the district continue to improve, with several Western LHD shires now having around 90 per cent of their populations with their first dose and over 50 per cent with their second.

Mr McLachlan said the main focus was now on those communities with a notably lower vaccination rate as well as encouraging more people to seek out their second doses as soon as possible.

"We've got a significant way to go to the second dose 70 and 80 per cent targets that we know are going to be crucial in the changes to restrictions but also protection for some of our most vulnerable and important people in our community," he said.

"There is a significant opportunity in coming weeks to get a second dose - please look out for those if you've had your first dose already."

The ADF vaccination clinics continue to roll out across the Western Plains, with second dose clinics - by appointment only - due to arrive in Collarenebri and Condobolin on Saturday 25 September.

The Loxley Health pop-up vaccination clinic has also finished operating in the Coonamble township, delivering a total of 474 Pfizer doses, and will finish in Gulargambone by the end of today (Tuesday 21 September).

A list of past, current and future pop-up vaccination clinics throughout the WNSWLHD, including the current schedule for second dose clinics can be found here.

The AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines are also available at local GPs, Aboriginal Health Services and respiratory clinics.

Participating pharmacies can also provide the vaccine and around 2000 across the district have begun receiving supplies of the new Moderna vaccine this week.

Mr Saunders said Moderna vaccines - which are approved for people 12 and up - will likely become available for distribution to any residents who haven't had their first dose towards the end of this week or early next week.

For all the latest information about COVID-19 across NSW, including several handy links, be sure to check out our in-app COVID-19 button.