Premier Daniel Andrews has announced the roadmap for easing restrictions once crucial vaccination targets are reached. Photo: AAP
Premier Daniel Andrews has announced the roadmap for easing restrictions in Victoria once crucial vaccination targets have been reached.
Hours after the state announced another 507 locally acquired cases and the death of a man in his 90s, Mr Andrews confirmed that Victoria’s lockdown would effectively end once 70 per cent of people over 16 have been vaccinated.
The Premier on Sunday also said Victorians could look forward to welcoming up to 30 people to their homes for Christmas.
“We cannot perennially or permanently suppress this virus. Lockdowns have been about buying time to get to 70 and 80 per cent vaccination,” Mr Andrews said.
“We are fast approaching those milestones. And at that point we have got to open the place up, because remaining closed forever has its own cost in every sense of that word,” he added.
“This is a very difficult balancing act.”
Mr Andrews said the Burnet Institute modelling – used to inform the state’s decision-making – made for “sobering reading”, suggesting that hospital admissions would peak at about 3150 towards the end of December and deaths due to COVID-19 would peak at about 2200 in January.
“
Tweet from @DanielAndrewsMP
Government forecast: September 26, 2021
Government forecast: October 5, 2021
Government forecast: October 26, 2021
Regional Victoria: More social and recreation activities will open up for fully vaccinated Victorians.
Government forecast: November 5, 2021
At this stage, the rule changes will be the same across Metropolitan Melbourne and Regional Victoria.
Based on the current seven-day average for second dose vaccinations, Victoria is on course to hit the 70 per cent target by November 19 and the 80 per cent target by December 12, according to the COVIDLive online tracker.
The state could feasibly reach those milestones sooner if the vaccination rollout picks up speed, but a slowing down in the rollout could also push back the timeline.
Prior to Sunday’s announcement, Premier Andrews told Victorians to expect “cautious” initial changes to the state’s COVID response once more than 70 per cent of Victorians aged over 16 are fully vaccinated.
Among the expected rule changes were an end to the 9pm curfew, an extension of the travel limits to up to 25 kilometres and the reopening of some hospitality venues with tight caps or limits to outdoor service only.
Since Friday, fully vaccinated Victorians have been able to go for a picnic with up to five people from two different households. That rule change was triggered by the achievement of a 70 per cent single-dose rate.
Sunday’s announcement came after at least 235 protesters were arrested on Saturday for their role in violent anti-lockdown protests in inner-city Melbourne.
Tweet from @VicGovDH