He is urging residents of the Dubbo electorate to get on with their lives and not expect NSW to miraculously become coronavirus-free.

But Mr Saunders is reiterating the importance of his constituents continuing to observe social distancing and hand hygiene.

He is also encouraging the use of masks "if you can't social distance".

READ ALSO:

There were 12 new cases of COVID-19 in NSW in the 24 hours to 8pm on Wednesday.

Three were "locally- acquired with no source identified", two of them detected in a South Western Sydney family and one in Parkes.

Mr Saunders greeted the advice from NSW Health with a reality check.

".. from the very start the point I have made is we will be living with this virus for some time," he said.

"Expectations that we can actually eliminate it and go on as if nothing's ever happened are unrealistic .

"So we just need to live in a normal way and we need to also consider what our economic comeback is going to look like.

"We can't consistently worry or look over our shoulder at what may or may not be."

Mr Saunders said the lockdown in NSW earlier this year had allowed its health system to prepare for the worst.

"We now have the greatest health system in the world geared up and ready to go," he said.

"..our regional hospitals like Dubbo Hospital have the capability of caring for a number of cases which would need ventilation."

The Dubbo MP is adamant that a "case here or there" should not impede economic recovery in the bush.

"I think we need to manage this in a sustainable way which includes keeping businesses open and people in jobs," he said.

Mr Saunders said country NSW continued to fare better than Sydney, a victim of the coronavirus catastrophe in Victoria.

But the MP carries a mask and hand sanitiser with him "at all times".

"I have worn a mask in Sydney," he said.

"I have not felt the need to wear a mask at any particular occasion in regional areas yet but that day may come."

A case of the coronavirus was confirmed in Orange in late July.