Victoria to ease restrictions after hitting first vaccination target
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Victoria is set to hit its first vaccination target on the Roadmap to Deliver the National Plan and will be easing some of the lockdown restrictions for this week.
It is expected that the state will pass its first threshold of the Roadmap on Tuesday, with 80 per cent of Victorians having received their first vaccine dose.
“We’re about to hit our first stop on the Roadmap, which is a fantastic achievement – but we need to keep the momentum going. Today is the day to book that vaccine appointment,” Premier Daniel Andrews said.
In line with the Roadmap, Victoria’s Chief Health Officer has declared a modest easing of the lockdown restrictions in metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria at 11:59 pm on Tuesday 28 September.
The 10km lockdown radius will be expanded to 15km, allowing citizens to exercise and shop up to 15km from their homes.
In regional Victoria, outdoor settings for restaurants and cafes will have their venue cap increase from 20 to 30 people. As for hair and beauty salons, masks may be removed if the service requires it.
Residents of metropolitan Melbourne and regional areas in lockdown will be allowed to have ‘contactless’ recreation at outdoor facilities. Personal training will be allowed so long as there is a cap of five people and all are fully vaccinated.
Additional restrictions on playgrounds will also be lifted by Tuesday. Normal public gathering limits will still apply and masks can be removed to eat and drink at the playground.
Victoria’s Chief Health Officer has stated that
The City of Greater Geelong and Surf Coast Shire has exited the lockdown yesterday as public health teams were confident that the cities’ cases can be well managed by the local public health unit. Meanwhile, Mitchell Shire will remain in lockdown due to its close proximity to areas of highest concern in metropolitan Melbourne.
After the easing of lockdown restrictions from hitting the 80 per cent partial vaccination target, Victoria will be aiming for the next milestones in the Roadmap. Onsite schooling will be expected to return on 5 October and when Victoria hits the 70 per cent double dose vaccination target.
Over the next week, The Victorian Government continues to encourage citizens to get vaccinated in order to help speed up the Roadmap. There are currently 3,495 Pfizer appointments available and 6,984 Astra Zeneca appointments available at state hubs.
Victorians can also book a vaccine appointment through their trusted GP or community pharmacist. Victorian pharmacists are now also offering the Moderna vaccine, which is a safe and effective option for those under the age of 60.
“If you’ve been putting it off or waiting to get vaccinated, don’t wait any longer. The best vaccine is the vaccine you can get today and we need to get as many Victorians vaccinated as possible to get back to the things we love,” Minister for Health Martin Foley.
The state’s Roadmap sets out the plan to open its borders while also preserving its health system, ensuring that Victorians can still get the healthcare they need.
The Roadmap was based on expert modelling from the Burnet Institute and is set against COVID-19 thresholds including hospitalisation rates.
Meanwhile, the state’s vaccination targets have already been set out in the National Plan to transition Australia’s National COVID-19 Response.
Source: Premier of Victoria Media Release
Eliza is a content producer and editor at Public Spectrum. She is an experienced writer on topics related to the government and to the public, as well as stories that uplift and improve the community.
