Paramedic graduates will be accelerated into the workforce while Sydney firefighters have been put on standby as the state's COVID-19 response is ramped up in anticipation of peak case numbers and hospitalisations.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said yesterday that she expects the worst is yet to come in terms of those admitted to hospital with the virus, with the next two weeks expected too bring a sharp rise in case numbers.
She also said the month of October will be worst for hospitalisations as medical staff wait for the effects of vaccinations to set in.
READ MORE: Victoria records 190 new cases of COVID-19
"The next fortnight is likely to be our worst in terms of the number of cases," Ms Berejiklian said.
"In terms of hospitalisations and ICU beds, there's often a two week lag."
In response, NSW Ambulance has been working on a number of options including accelerating more graduates into the workforce, cancelling annual leave and partnering with other emergency service organisations.
Fire and Rescue NSW also said crews are at the ready to provide assistance where necessary.
"Fire and Rescue NSW is working with the State Emergency Operations Centre should we need to provide any additional assistance, such as a humanitarian response, similar to the operational support we provided to the Ruby Princess in Port Kembla last year, including tents with utilities, decontamination areas and other facilities," a spokesperson told the Sydney Morning Herald.
READ MORE: NSW records 1431 new COVID-19 cases and 12 more deaths
Ms Berejiklian said that all the measures taken by the government to combat the worsening outbreak will be detailed in the days to come and that preparations have been ongoing for the last year and a half.
"We'll be able to present in very good detail next week on all the preparation work that's been happening in the last 18 months, to make sure that everybody can feel confident that if they do need those services that they will get the best care possible," she said.
There are currently 979 patients in hospital with COVID-19 as of yesterday, including 160 in intensive care.
A total of 25,000 cases and 119 deaths have been recorded in NSW since the start of the Delta outbreak.
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