As Greater Sydney ends its fifth week of lockdown, the Australian Medical Association has called for stricter measures and a stronger vaccination push to stem the spread of the virus.

AMA president Dr Omar Khorshid said rules in place in western Sydney local government areas of concern – which restrict movement to five kilometres from home except for authorised workers and medical care, as well as requiring masks to be worn outside – should be in place across the Greater Sydney region.

“COVID-19 does not respect geography or local government boundaries on a map, and clear and simple rules applied everywhere will make a difference,” he said.

The affected local government areas are Blacktown, Canterbury-Bankstown, Campbelltown, Cumberland, Fairfield, Georges River, Liverpool and Parramatta.

Outside these eight local government areas, people may travel up to 10 kilometres for exercise, as well as maintain singles’ bubbles with people from outside their area.

Masks must be worn in all indoor public settings but only in certain crowded locations outside, such as while waiting for takeaway outside a store.

The association’s NSW president, Dr Danielle McMullen, said some retail stores that remain open, such as hardware stores and garden centres, should shut.

She added that more needed to be done to distribute the AstraZeneca vaccine to the public.

“The federal and state governments should be pushing the AstraZeneca vaccine out in massive numbers. Whatever needs to be done to get it out into the community should be done,” she said.

The association also said the state government should reverse its decision to return year 12s to school on August 16 after those in hotspot areas receive a Pfizer dose.

“This will expose students, teachers and families to increased risks of infection and transmission.” Dr McMullen said.