NSW's Chief Health Officer says additional COVID-19 vaccine doses may be recommended to the public as part of an "ongoing journey" through the pandemic.
Kerry Chant stressed people should not consider themselves as having "optimum protection" from the virus until they have had three doses — or four jabs for immunocompromised people.
Only three of the 18 people who died from COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 4pm yesterday had received a booster shot, she said.
"I want to also convey to the community that we will have an ongoing journey with COVID as we transition," Dr Chant said today.
"We may be recommending, in future months, additional vaccines based on that ATAGI (Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation) guidance.
"So rather than seeing it all as (a plan to) just to get to here, it is going to be a fact that we will have to continue to adopt and calibrate to the new challenges in our learning.
"But the vaccines work. They are so incredibly effective... so please go out and get your boosters."
Of the latest deaths in NSW, 12 were men and six women.
Two were in their 60s, five were in their 70s, six were in their 80s, and five were in their 90s.
NSW Health said older age was a significant risk factor for serious illness and death from COVID-19, particularly when combined with significant pre-existing health issues.
Three people had received three doses of a vaccine, 10 had received two doses, and five people were not vaccinated.
Meanwhile, the number of people being treated in the state's hospitals continues to drop.
There are 2,068 people with the virus in hospital, of which 132 are in intensive care.
Hospital numbers have dropped by another 31 patients after a dramatic fall of 222 people the day before.
Booster rates for people who are aged 16 and over have risen to 44 per cent.
Vaccination rates for children aged five to 11 (43.2 per cent single dose) and 12 to 15 (83.4 per cent single dose, 78.6 per cent double dose) are also slowly increasing.
There were 9,690 new cases in the reporting period.
Of the new cases, 6,810 were detected through rapid antigen tests and 2,880 infections were identified via PCR swabs.
It is an increase on the 7,437 cases announced yesterday, but health authorities believe the virus' spread has slowed in the community.
Premier Dominic Perrottet said on Monday the state was "back on the front foot" in its recovery from the Omicron outbreak.
The Premier said he expected a "boomtime" in Sydney when restrictions were lifted, which could come as soon as February 28.
