Sydney cases dip as Australia debates COVID-19 reopening plans

FILE PHOTO: People wait in line outside a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccination clinic in the Bankstown suburb during a lockdown to curb an outbreak of cases in Sydney, Australia, August 25, 2021. REUTERS/Loren Elliott

SYDNEY (Reuters) -Sydney's COVID-19 cases slightly eased on Friday but still hovered near record levels as the Australian federal government looks to press states to stick to a national reopening plan once the country reaches a 70%-80% vaccination rate.

The national cabinet, a group of federal and state leaders, will meet later in the day against a backdrop of concerns by some states given the persistently high daily infections in Sydney even after two months under lockdown.