There are 8201 new COVID-19 cases in NSW and 16 more deaths, as striking nurses prepare to march on parliament house.
That is 2017 more cases of the virus than reported the previous day and two more deaths.
Hospitalisations have dropped slightly overnight by 66 to 1583, while there are 96 people in intensive care - four fewer than reported by NSW Health on Monday.
About 48.5 per cent of people have received a booster shot.
Meanwhile, nurses in around 150 public hospitals are striking for the first time in nearly a decade.
A skeleton staff will remain at hospitals to ensure patient safety.
Thousands of nurses will rally outside NSW Parliament House to take their message to MPs as they return to Macquarie Street for the first sitting day of the year.
NSW Nurses and Midwives Association General Secretary Brett Holmes says nurses have made the "difficult" decision to strike because they are stretched to the limit.
"They want significant change to occur and they need it to start happening now," he said.
Nurses want one nurse to every four patients on every shift and a pay increase above the government's prescribed public sector offer of 2.5 per cent.
Health Minister Brad Hazzard says he's disappointed by the strike is proceeding, saying the changes they want would cost the state about $1 billion to implement.
© AAP 2022