HNEH Covid numbers: Inverell has topped the New England region with 72 cases reported on Wednesday

According to Hunter New England Health's daily updates, Inverell has the highest daily case number for the region, cracking 107 on Saturday, January 8's report.

On Wednesday, Inverell saw a massive jump to 72 cases reported in the last 24 hours. Up from just 10 on Tuesday.

Elsewhere around the region, Moree followed closely with 70 cases, Armidale recorded 36 and Glen Innes 2.

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Those figures will rise, with NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet unveiling NSW's system for mandatory RAT reporting.

The system went live on Wednesday, and anyone who returned a positive RAT since January 1 must report it via Service NSW. Users can go to the Service NSW app, Service NSW website or call Service NSW to report their positive result.

As of Tuesday, children aged five to 11 years old were eligible to get vaccinated.

Children in this cohort receive a third of an adult dose and require two vaccinations eight weeks apart.

Bookings are required, and can be made online via: https://covid-vaccine.healthdirect.gov.au/booking/. If you cannot book online, call 1800 571 155.

Meanwhile, NSW Health's decision to wind back self-isolation requirements for close contacts who work in critical industries like food logistics has been criticised as "reckless" by the Transport Workers Union (TWU).

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Asymptomatic close contacts now only have to wear masks while working and take daily RATs instead of isolating.

"Someone who is a close contact is by definition the greatest risk of passing it on - - the NSW government is effectively scrapping the last buffer we had left to protect workplaces," TWU's National Secretary Michael Kaine, said.

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