Grafton,  population 19,000, is the largest town in the Clarence Valley but residents making 170-km round trip toCoffs Harbour for a COVID test as Delta arrives in NSW regional town

Until now, residents have felt immune from the Delta outbreak in Sydney, more than 600 kilometres away. But not any more.

NSW Health said there have been 23 active COVID-19 cases in the past fortnight.

"COVID-19 has arrived," Clarence Valley MP Chris Gulaptis said.

"We were probably a little bit complacent beforehand when it was in Sydney and far away from us."

And with fully vaccinated Sydneysiders set to be given the all-clear to travel to the region on holiday as early as Monday, there are concerns about the virus spreading further and about the local health system's capacity to cope.

"Yes, of course I'm concerned," Mr Gulaptis said.

"And I understand the community is concerned and so they should be, because COVID is a killer."

Long queues for testing:

The modest number of COVID-19 cases has already had a domino effect.

Several people have said they waited hours for a COVID-19 test at Grafton Base Hospital due to high demand.

Others chose to make a 170-kilometre round trip to Coffs Harbour to get swabbed.

Leisa Moar, a teacher, said she waited in line for three hours outside the Grafton Hospital.

"There was nowhere to sit down, there's no toilet facilities unless you go into the hospital," she said.

"If I had to bring my mother to get tested, there's no way she'd be able to stand and wait for three hours."

Yesterday, the Northern NSW Local Health District (LHD) opened a drive-through testing clinic in Grafton in response to demand.

School closed after positive case:

There are concerns around a local school that has been linked to several infections this week.

Unlike their counterparts in Greater Sydney, students in the area have been permitted to learn on campus.

But South Grafton Primary has been closed since a positive case was identified last week, sending 650 students and staff into isolation.

Another family has already been infected, something Mr Gulaptis was particularly concerned about, with all students in NSW to return to classrooms later this month.

"We know that COVID is highly transmissible and we can see that with what's happening in Grafton at the moment," he said.

"It's running riot in our school community."

While three-out-of-four people in NSW over 16 years old are now fully vaccinated, regional areas are lagging behind, with just 56% of the eligible population fully vaccinated in the Clarence Valley LGA.

COVID-19 cases in Tamworth in northern New South Wales have reached another new record, with 19 infections detected in the 24 hours to 8pm last night.

The result has almost doubled the previous record of 10 cases the city set on Monday, and takes the total number of cases in the latest outbreak to 63.

Tamworth recorded the most cases of any local government area in the Hunter New England local health district.

Two new cases were recorded in the nearby Gunnedah Shire.

Public health physician from Hunter New England Health Dr David Durrheim said all the new cases in the New England region were linked to known cases, and the vast majority were isolating throughout their infectious period.

"The transmission all occurred in family or broader social groups," Dr Durrheim said.

"There was no transmission in workplaces, no transmission in any retail outlets."

Call to delay regional travel:

According to the state government's roadmap, unrestricted travel will be permitted from the Monday following the state reaching the 80% double dose mark.

That target could be reached this week.

Mr Gulaptis and four other northern NSW MPs from across the political spectrum wrote to the then Berejiklian government, requesting regional areas remain closed until local vaccination rates reach those seen in the cities.  

Mr Gulaptis said the previous government agreed to their request – a promise he hopes the Perrottet government will honour. 

"I would like to see that the government will be true to its word and will restrict the movement of Sydneysiders until our vaccination rates reach at least 70 per cent," he said.

Premier Dominic Perrottet has reiterated his commitment to further ease restrictions when NSW reaches 80% double dose coverage but said his government had not yet made a call on regional travel.

"Our commitment to the people of our state has been if we can get vaccinated and reach those targets, we can open up freely," Mr Perrottet said.

"There has been concerns raised about regional New South Wales, if you look at those double vaccination rates.

"I have not had many discussions with my ministerial colleagues in relation to that aspect, yet. That will be an issue that will be discussed."

The Premier is expected to reveal any changes to the 80% COVID-19 roadmap today.

Story By | Harriet Tatham