NSW recorded zero new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night. There were two new cases in returning overseas travellers, bringing the total number of cases in NSW since the beginning of the pandemic to 5,378. In the 24 hours to 8pm last night, NSW Health administered 11,343 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, bringing the total number of doses administered in the state since 22 February 2021 to 998,049. NSW is expected to reach a milestone today of one million COVID-19 vaccine shots administered. More information here.

More than 100,000 NSW residents aged between 40-49 have registered to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. The NSW Government recently opened up the registration option for this age group to ensure that any excess doses of the COVID-19 vaccines are administered. NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said more than 9000 appointments from this list have already been booked. If you are in this age group, you can register your interest to receive the Pfizer vaccine through Service NSW here.

Australia carried out its first repatriation flight from India last Saturday, after temporarily banning all travel from the country. The 80 passengers arrived in Darwin from New Delhi and are now completing two weeks quarantine at the Howard Springs facility. Those who wish to return home from India have to show two negative COVID-19 tests before being allowed to board a flight. For more information on restrictions and travel exemptions, visit here.

The Federal Department of Health has published its latest video responding to the top three COVID-19 vaccine questions of the week. On the minds of Australians this week:

1. If I take the pill or smoke, am I more likely to experience blood clotting from the COVID-19 vaccines?
2. Is there anything I can do to reduce the risk of clotting from happening?
3. Can the vaccine help people recover from long COVID?

Watch the video here.

Figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics today shows the April unemployment rate fell to 5.5 per cent, down from 5.6 per cent. This is despite Jobkeeper payments ending in late March 2021. Workplace participation has decreased to 66 per cent. Read the report from the ABS here.

QANTAS has announced an expected $2 billion loss this financial year. In a trading update posted today, the airline said a sustained rebound in domestic travel demand, and the performance of its Freight and Loyalty divisions, continued to drive the recovery from the impacts of COVID-19. The total revenue loss for the Group since the start of the pandemic is now projected to reach $16 billion by the end of this financial year. QANTAS has revised its expectations for the return of a significant level of international flying from end of October 2021 to late December 2021. QANTAS says this is in line with the Australian Government’s revised timeline for effective completion of the national COVID-19 vaccination program. However, last week’s Federal Budget forecast that international borders will not open until mid-2022. Read the QANTAS update here.

Tomorrow morning’s swearing in of Justice Elizabeth Cheeseman in the Federal Court of Australia, can be accessed via live streaming here. The ceremony will begin at 9.30am.