SYDNEY hairdressers, gyms, cafes and bars reopened to fully vaccinated customers yesterday for the first time in more than 100 days after Australia’s largest city achieved a vaccination benchmark.

Sydney planned to reopen after 70 percent of the New South Wales state population aged 16 and older were fully vaccinated.

By yesterday, 73.5 percent of the target population was fully vaccinated and more than 90 percent have received at least one dose.

Some businesses opened at midnight due to demand from people impatient to enjoy their freedom.

More pandemic restrictions will be removed at the 80 percent benchmark, and New South Wales residents will be free to travel overseas for the first time since March last year.

New South Wales reported 496 new infections in the latest 24-hour period and eight COVID-19 deaths.

The infection rate will rise as Sydney residents return to work and become more mobile.

New South Wales Premier Dominic Perrottet said the infection rate and numbers of COVID-19 patients being admitted to hospitals were lower than modeling had predicted.

“So that’s positive and gives hope and confidence as we open up in a measured way we’re in a very good position to keep people safe,” Perrottet said.

While Sydney infections have been trending down in recent weeks, they have yet to peak in Melbourne, Australia’s second-most populous city.

Victoria state, which includes Melbourne, reported 1,612 new infections yesterday and eight deaths.(SD-Agencies)