Australia news LIVE: NSW COVID-19 cases and exposure sites grow; Sydney records first death

State and federal health authorities are urging older people who have had their first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine to bring forward their second dose after a woman in her 90s, believed to be unvaccinated, died with COVID-19.

Hers was the first death of the current NSW outbreak which began on June 16 when an eastern suburbs limousine driver who transports foreign crew became infected.

NSW Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant said people, particularly the elderly, who have had one dose of AstraZeneca vaccine should consider having their second after six weeks rather than wait 12 weeks.

Read the full story here.

Victoria’s daily coronavirus numbers are in.

The state has recorded no new cases of COVID-19 in the community and zero cases in hotel quarantine. That’s off the back of 23,302 tests yesterday.

It’s the 12th day in a row that Victoria has had no locally acquired cases.

Italy are the champions of the 2020 Euro final.

It comes after a series of tense penalty shootouts.

Flares are currently being lit at the public square off Lygon Street in Melbourne’s “Little Italy”.

And of course, you can relive all the action on our dedicated blog.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian has conceded her government cannot predict when Sydney’s lockdown will end, prompting NSW and the Commonwealth to devise a new scheme to protect jobs, with an announcement as early as today.

NSW is bracing for at least 100 new COVID-19 cases later this morning and the state recorded its first COVID death this year as daily case numbers in Sydney climbed to 77 yesterday – including 33 believed to have been infectious while in the community.

The death of a woman in her 90s, who was unvaccinated, has prompted Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant to urge anyone awaiting their second dose of AstraZeneca to consider having it at six weeks rather than 12 weeks.

Read the full story here.

More than 1000 Italy fans have packed Melbourne’s “Little Italy” to watch the last few minutes of the Euros 2020 final.

The cafes and restaurants along Lygon Street, in Melbourne’s inner north, are brimming with people. Hundreds of those who turned out have filed into Piazza Italia, where the game is being projected onto a screen.

Tensions were high at half-time, particularly as the feed to the piazza kept cutting out. Cousins Christian and Jason Ricciuti came out to Lygon for the atmosphere.

“We’re a little bit anxious, we’re still hopeful that we’re going to get a goal in the second half, never over until the end, everything can happen,” Christian said.

Later, in the inner city as the game went into extra time, England fans were sitting on the edge of their seats clutching pints waiting for their home country to score a winning goal during extra time.

As we mentioned earlier this morning, Victorians are waking up to a hard border with NSW.

Hundreds of police are being deployed along the Murray River this morning to enforce the new travel restrictions.

At 11.59pm last night, all of regional NSW was made a “red zone” in line with Greater Sydney – meaning anyone travelling into Victoria from NSW or the ACT will be turned away unless they are a border resident.

Victorian residents returning home will also be accepted. However, they must quarantine for 14 days.

A checkpoint is being set up in Albury-Wodonga this morning but, unlike previous border closures, not every car will be stopped. This will be a relief to border residents who last year faced commutes of up to an hour for a trip that normally takes 10, 15 minutes.

This time around, police are favouring a mobile approach. They will monitor number plates remotely and also have a police chopper on standby.

More NSW exposure sites have come through overnight.

Anyone who attended the following medical practices or pharmacy in Sydney’s western suburbs during the relevant exposure windows is considered a close contact:

• The Guirguis Family Medical Practice on Station Street in Fairfield on Friday, July 9 between 1.30pm and 2.30pm;
• The iMedic iCare Medical Centre on Ware Street in Fairfield on Thursday, July 8 between 11am and 3pm;
• The Fairfield Heights Primary Health centre in Fairfield Heights on Tuesday, July 6 between 9.45am and 12.15pm; and
• The Fairfield Heights Pharmacy in Fairfield Heights on Tuesday, July 6 between 11.45am and 12.30pm.

In NSW, close contacts must immediately get tested, isolate for 14 days regardless of the result and call 1800 943 553 unless NSW Health has already been in touch.

Visit the NSW Health website for the full list of exposure sites.

As we mentioned earlier, soccer fans have flocked to pubs and parks in Melbourne to catch a glimpse of the Euros 2021 final.

Here’s a snap of England fans celebrating the first goal of the match. Italy has since scored a goal of their own.

We’ll of course bring you the final result, but if you’d like a deeper dive into the match, my colleague Dominic Bossi is running a live blog.