Health professionals are urging residents to get vaccinated, reaffirming it will only be a matter of time before the virus is back on our doorstep.

Mid North Coast Local Health District confirmed on August 11, there remained no positive cases in the region and all follow-up sewage testing at all waterwater facilities have produced negative results.

NSW Health swiftly followed up a suspected COVID case who visited Coffs Harbour this week, ruling out any threat to the Mid North Coast community.

"NSW Health has excluded a potential COVID-19 case who visited Coffs Harbour earlier this week," a MNCLHD spokesperson said.

"Follow-up testing of the person, who was visiting the area from Sydney, has delivered two negative results.

"We continue to encourage anyone who has even the mildest of symptoms to get tested and isolate until they receive their result.

"Please use only trusted and credible sources of information in relation to confirmed COVID-19 cases and potential exposure sites."

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On August 12, the number of positive cases in Newcastle and the Hunter increased to 39 diminishing any hope the seven-day lockdown would lift on Friday.

A cluster at the University of Newcastle has forced all students living in accommodation at International House on the campus grounds into strict isolation. Mass testing at the campus, which has recorded four positive cases, was conducted this week.

To the west, both Armidale and Tamworth recorded no further cases while in the far north, Lismore, Casino, Ballina, Byron Bay and surrounds were plunged into a seven-day lockdown after a positive case from Sydney visited the area.

Eight local government areas in the state's west joined the lockdown list on Thursday, August 12 as COVID-19 continues to spread into the regions.

A one-week snap lockdown now applies to Bogan, Bourke, Brewarrina, Coonamble, Gilgandra, Narromine, Walgett and Warren LGAs, while authorities scramble to ascertain all exposure sites.

Mid North Coast residents are being urged to register or book an appointment for vaccination and not wait until the region has its first positive COVID case in more than 470 days to take action.

Read more: COVID on the Mid North Coast "not a risk, but a certainty"

Judy Plunkett, a community pharmacist and NSW Pharmacy Guild branch committee member, stressed the importance of timely vaccination.

"It [COVID] is coming, it will be here," she said about Port Macquarie.

"If it's not next week, it will be the week after or the week after. Waiting until it comes here [to be vaccinated] is actually too late."

The Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines require two doses to provide the best immunity.

Dr Simon Holliday, who runs a Mid-North Coast respiratory clinic, also believes COVID-19 reaching the region is a certainty.

The local health district will move its COVID-19 vaccination clinic from Port Macquarie Base Hospital to 35 Grant Street, with the new clinic expected to open on Tuesday, August 17.

Go to the online COVID-19 vaccine eligibility checker to find out when and where you can receive a COVID-19 vaccine.

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