NSW Health has announced 406 new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 and six more deaths, as the state offers incentives to encourage people to start dining out again.

Two more $25 vouchers are on the way for every adult in NSW, with alfresco dining on the menu under a plan to boost the state's hospitality industry after months of lockdown.

The popular Dine and Discover program, used by 4.8 million people, will be expanded, with two $25 vouchers available in December - one for dining and one for entertainment.

Premier Dominic Perrottet on Thursday said this would give the sector a huge boost, with people tending to spend more than $25.

"They have been incredibly successful and popular, from Ballina to Balmain, from Byron to Broken Hill," he said.

"People right across the state have gone out and used the voucher, and importantly, spent more.

"It's driven economic activity in NSW. It's got people back into work."

He was speaking before NSW Health announced 406 new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in latest reporting period - down from 444 the previous day.

Three men and three women died: two in their 60s, two in their 80s and two in their 90s.

The premier said the Dine and Discover program is costing the government $250 million but so far had delivered a $500 million shot in the arm for businesses around the state.

Anyone who has not applied for any of the vouchers can access their ServiceNSW app to get all six, which will remain active until June next year.

Additionally, small bars and pubs given exemptions to set up tables and chairs on footpaths last summer will be allowed to keep doing so indefinitely, under the government's $66 million Alfresco Restart Initiative.

"We want to bring life and laughter into the city during summer," Mr Perrottet said.

The government will also provide $5000 grants to hospitality businesses on a first-in basis to "embrace alfresco dining".

In addition, up to $500,000 will be available in grants for councils to improve their high streets.

"These changes today will help our businesses to flourish over the summer months as we get through this pandemic," Mr Perrottet said.

"I am incredibly confident we're going to bounce back strongly here in NSW."

Meanwhile, the state looks set to reach its 80 per cent double COVID-19 vaccination milestone by the weekend - a week earlier than expected.

Mr Perrottet will meet with senior colleagues on Thursday to decide what new freedoms could be granted from Monday.

The government's COVID-19 and economic recovery committee - formerly known as crisis cabinet - is unlikely to give the green light to regional travel given lower vaccination rates in some rural communities.

In areas like Byron Bay, just 47 per cent of the eligible adult population is double vaccinated, leaving the community vulnerable.

Pubs, restaurants, gyms and shops have been open to people who are fully vaccinated since Monday, when the state came out of a near-four month lockdown.

There have been 454 COVID-19 related deaths in NSW in this outbreak which began on June 16, and 510 in total since the start of the pandemic.

There are 711 COVID-19 cases in hospital, with 143 people in intensive care, 75 of whom require ventilation.

More than 91 per cent of the eligible population have had their first vaccination and 76.5 per cent are now fully vaccinated.

In the 12-15 year old age group, 71 per cent have had their first dose, and 23.3 per cent are fully vaccinated.

© AAP 2021

Two more $25 vouchers are on the way for every adult in NSW and alfresco dining is on the menu this summer under a plan to boost the state's hospitality industry after months of lockdown.

The popular Dine and Discover voucher program, which has been used by 4.8 million people, will be expanded, with two more $25 vouchers available in December - one for dining and one for entertainment.

Premier Dominic Perrottet on Thursday said this would give the sector a huge boost because people tend to spend more than $25.

"They have been incredibly successful and popular, from Ballina to Balmain, from Byron to Broken Hill," he said.

"People right across the state have gone out and used the voucher, and importantly, spent more.

"It's driven economic activity in NSW. It's got people back into work."

The program is costing the government $250 million.

So far it's delivered a $500 million shot in the arm for businesses around the state, the premier said.

Anyone who hasn't applied for any of the vouchers can access their ServiceNSW app to get all six, which will be active until June next year.

Additionally, small bars and pubs given exemptions to set up tables and chairs on footpaths last summer will be allowed to keep doing so indefinitely, under the government's $66 million Alfresco Restart Initiative.

"We want to bring life and laughter into the city during summer," Mr Perrottet said.

The government will also provide $5000 grants to hospitality businesses on a first-in basis to "embrace alfresco dining" and "move the inside to the outside".

As well, up to $500,000 will be available in grants for councils to improve their high streets.

"We think that these changes today will help our businesses to flourish over the summer months as we get through this pandemic," Mr Perrottet said.

"I am incredibly confident we're going to bounce back strongly here in NSW."

Meanwhile, the state looks set to reach its 80 per cent double COVID-19 vaccination milestone by the weekend, which would be earlier than expected.

Mr Perrottet will meet with senior colleagues on Thursday to decide what new freedoms could be granted from Monday.

The next stage wasn't due to begin until October 25.

But the government's COVID-19 and economic recovery committee - formerly known as crisis cabinet - is unlikely to give the green light to regional travel given lower vaccination rates in some rural communities.

In areas like Byron Bay on the north coast, 47 per cent of the eligible adult population is double vaccinated, leaving the community vulnerable to a possible outbreak.

"There have been concerns raised about regional NSW when you look at those double dose vaccination rates," Mr Perrottet said on Wednesday.

Pubs, restaurants, gyms and shops have been open to people who are fully vaccinated since Monday, when the state came out of a near-four month lockdown.

The next stage could see outdoor gatherings of up to 50, 20 guests in a home, dancing at hospitality venues and drinking standing up at the pub.

NSW recorded 444 new locally acquired cases in the 24 hours to 8pm on Tuesday.

Four more people died and all were from the southwest or western Sydney.

© AAP 2021

Australia's medicines regulator has approved a key step towards the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine being given to children aged five to 11.

The Therapeutic Goods Administration said on Wednesday it had granted a provisional determination to Pfizer Australia in relation to the vaccine.

It is currently provisionally approved only for use in people 12 years or older.

"The granting of this determination means that Pfizer is now eligible to apply to vary the provisional approval for the vaccine to include children aged five to 11 years," the TGA said in a statement.

"This provisional determination is the first step in the process and does not mean that an application for variation has been made by the sponsor or that any such variation will be provisionally approved by the TGA."

Pfizer will now need to submit comprehensive clinical data.

Health Minister Greg Hunt said the assessment would be done "very quickly", potentially in a matter of weeks.

He said it would also need the green light from the technical advisory group ATAGI.

"It will be assessed very quickly," he told 4BC radio.

"We are hoping they (Pfizer) bring it forward in the coming weeks.

"We've got the supply and we've got the distribution mechanisms."

Pfizer told AAP this week the company had provided trial data to the US regulator for initial review.

A trial of the two-dose vaccine involving 2268 children had come back with favourable safety and antibody responses.

The pharmaceutical giant is also running a study involving children aged six months up to five years, which should produce topline results by the end of this year.

© AAP 2021

NSW is on track to hit the state's next COVID-19 vaccination target within days, but the premier has flagged the planned easing of some restrictions may be delayed.

More than 80 per cent of the state's residents will be fully vaccinated as soon as Sunday, a week earlier than expected and just days into the first stage of the reopening which began Monday.

That will set the stage for the next phase in the state's exit from lockdown, likely to begin next Monday.

Premier Dominic Perrottet on Wednesday said the pace of vaccination across the state was unexpected but "great".

Some 76.5 per cent of people over 16 are fully vaccinated and 91.1 per cent have had at least one dose.

However, the premier hinted parts of the state's roadmap out of lockdown could be tweaked.

The government's COVID-19 and economic recovery committee - formerly known as crisis cabinet - will on Thursday discuss postponing regional travel given the lower vaccination coverage in rural communities.

"There has been concerns raised about regional NSW when you look at those double dose vaccination rates," Mr Perrottet told reporters.

"(But) we don't make decisions on a knee jerk reaction. We make decisions in consultation with our health and economic teams.

"We will consider those issues tomorrow."

As things currently stand, the next phase of the roadmap paves the way for outdoor gatherings of up to 50 vaccinated people, 20 guests in a home, dancing at hospitality venues and drinking standing up at the pub.

Travel across NSW would be allowed, as would carpooling, weddings of any size if the venue is large enough, and community sport.

The state continues to record hundreds of new cases a day, with 444 new locally acquired cases diagnosed in the 24 hours to 8pm on Tuesday, and another four deaths recorded.

All were from west or southwest Sydney, with three people in their 70s and one in their 60s.

Two were fully vaccinated but had underlying heath conditions.

More than 700 COVID-19 patients are in hospital, with 150 in intensive care - half of whom require ventilation.

Mr Perrottet has said huge health challenges are yet to come, as are economic ones. Dealing with the pandemic is "one, two and three" on his to-do list.

"That is the sole focus of the government," Mr Perrottet told AAP.

"We need to get through this as well as we can. We're going to lead the nation out of this pandemic here in NSW, and there's so many things to do in that space."

Meanwhile, Customer Service Minister Victor Dominello says the Service NSW vaccination passport could be rolled out statewide sooner than next Monday.

He said the regional pilots are progressing well, while the app's security settings will be boosted - including the removal of dates of birth from vaccination passports.

© AAP 2021