Blayney mayor Scott Ferguson is optimistic his shire's behaviour during the current lockdown will act as a buffer to community transmission in the wake of the a positive case of COVID-19 emerging in the Local Government Area on Monday.
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Blayney's first case of the delta variant was part of Western NSW Local Health District's worst day of the pandemic to date, with 51 new cases identified.
"The community has overwhelmingly been doing the right thing," Cr Ferguson said.
"There are only a few places where people can go in Blayney so contact tracing, when it becomes available, will really narrow that down."
The positive case is said to have been in isolation since being tested and Cr Ferguson said that it goes to show just how beneficial it is having to wear masks when in the community.
"All of the things that we're doing, wearing masks, hand washing and social distancing will help minimise the impacts if the person was unknowingly infectious and in the community," he said.
We were feeling quite comfortable here in our little town.
- Blayney Mayor Scott Ferguson
Cr Ferguson acknowledged that the first delta COVID-19 case since the death of a 67 year-old woman in April of 2020 was still a concern, particularly for the elderly members of the community.
"We were feeling quite comfortable here in our little town," he said.
"We really need to be mindful of all those elderly members of the community who may be feeling a bit anxious now that there is a positive case."
Cr Ferguson also takes heart in Blayney's exceptional vaccination rates as voiced by the member for Bathurst Paul Toole.
"This week I can confirm that 56.1 per cent of residents in the Blayney Local Government Area have had their first jab, with 28.2 per cent now fully vaccinated," Mr Toole said.
"For the Bathurst LGA the statistics show that 52.4 per cent of residents had their first dose of vaccine and 27.8 per cent their second dose."
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