1612 new Covid cases, eight deaths in Victoria; mRNA vaccines now available to all Victorians
Infections are beginning to stabilise in Melboune’s northern suburbs — but a new hotspot has emerged, with a huge spike in cases.
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A local government region in Melbourne’s southeast has taken over the mantle as the top Covid hotspot in Victoria.
It comes after Victoria’s Covid cases spiked again, with 1612 cases and eight deaths announced on Monday.
The City of Casey recorded 174 new infections — more new cases than any other LGA on Monday, surpassing Hume as the most virus-riddled region.
Health department deputy secretary Naomi Bromley said authorities had been concerned about the southeast suburbs “for a few weeks now”.
“We have been upgrading vaccination capacity in the areas. That includes a new drive through opening up today in Cranbourne,” she said.
The neighbouring area of Greater Dandenong came in fourth with 109 new cases.
Overall, the northern suburbs still recorded the highest total number of cases with 499 infections (31 per cent), followed by 459 in the southeast suburbs (29 per cent), 427 in the west (27 per cent), and 95 in the east.
Case numbers in Melbourne’s hard-hit northern suburbs, such as Hume, are finally starting to stabilise, authorities said.
“In previous weeks, we have seen Hume record up to 300 cases a day. I think the dramatic increase in vaccination rates in the area has gone a long way to helping us bend the curve of infection in this area and Hume is now up around 85 per cent (first dose),” Ms Bromley said.
There are 19,012 active cases across the state, with the latest infections including:
• 499 new cases in Melbourne’s north
• 459 new cases in the southeastern suburbs
• 427 in Melbourne’s west
• 95 Melbourne’s eastern suburbs
• 122 new cases in regional Victoria
Concerningly, 36 new cases have emerged in locked-down Mildura, with the border city now hosting 290 active cases.
Sunday’s deaths took the number of lives lost during the outbreak to 93 and the toll of the entire pandemic in Victoria to 913.
The deaths included a woman in her 70s and a man in his 60s from Darebin, a man in his 40s from Port Phillip, man in his 80s from Maribyrnong, a man in his 80s from Brimbank, a man in his 70s from the City of Melbourne, a man in his 70s from Glen Eira, and a woman in her 70s from Whittlesea.
The cases announced on Monday were Victoria’s sixth highest daily increase on record, but slightly lower than Sunday’s 1889 infections.
BIG CHANGE TO VICTORIA’S VACCINE ROLLOUT
Victoria’s Covid vaccine rollout has been expanded, with mRNA vaccines Pfizer and Moderna now available to all residents.
It means that people aged over 60 — who were previously only eligible to receive AstraZeneca — can access an mRNA vaccine.
The change was made possible due to a boost to Moderna and Pfizer supply.
Health Minister Martin Foley said Victoria was well on its way to becoming one of the world’s most-vaccinated jurisdictions.
“It’s time to throw open the doors across the state to mRNA vaccines,” he said.
“With all vaccines open to all Victorians aged 12 and over, and plenty of appointments available, there’s no reason not to book your jab today.
“Victorians have done their duty by getting vaccinated in extraordinary numbers — and it’s those Victorians who will be able to go and do the things they love with the people they love when we reach our targets.”
Major vaccine hubs, including the Royal Exhibition Building, MCEC, Eastland Shopping Centre and Sandown Racecourse are also accepting walk-ups for the Moderna jab.
The move comes as coronavirus infections among older Australians continue to grow, with almost one in four of the latest cases in people over the age of 50.
Nearly 60 per cent of Victorians in hospital with Covid-19 are aged over 50.
“The best way to protect yourself from ending up in hospital with a severe illness is to get vaccinated as quickly as possible,” health official Naomi Bromley said.
“For younger people, it’s really important to have that conversation with your grandparents, parents, aunties and uncles and make sure everyone in the family is protected.”
At least 85.5 per cent of eligible Victorians have received one dose of a Covid vaccine, while 58.6 per cent are fully vaccinated.
There are 670 people in hospital with Covid-19 in Victoria, including 133 people receiving intensive care and 94 of those on a ventilator.
HOPES FOR EARLY EASING OF LOCKDOWN
Victoria’s lockdown could end almost a week ahead of schedule with vaccination rates rising across the state.
Data analyst Anthony Macali told 3AW on Monday morning the rate of people receiving their second Covid-19 vaccination dose had increased from 30,000 a day to 50,000, putting the state on track to hit 70 per cent full vaccination by October 23.
It would put the state three days ahead of schedule, meaning the wider scale reopening at 80 per cent would come the day after the Melbourne Cup.
But Mr Macali, who runs data website Covid Live, said if the rate kept increasing, that date could be brought forward again by “two or three days”.
“So October 21, 22 maybe and November 1 or 2,” Mr Macali said.
“Having a roadmap … and restrictions coming out based on the numbers is probably one of the biggest (reasons for the increase).
“Supply is no longer an issue, we had Moderna come on board, the dosing interval has changed from six to three weeks … so all of these factors have played into it.”
Mr Foley said the state would likely reopen at the end of October, despite an expectation that infections would rise further in coming days, with the peak expected to be about 3000 cases a day.
The health minister said the state was “within that band” and the government remained committed to delivering more freedoms about October 26.
“We do not underestimate the stress and challenges that will place on both our primary care system and public health network,” he said.
More than 73,000 tests were received on Sunday, while state hubs administered 34,279 vaccines.
WILD SCENES AS SYDNEY LOCKDOWN ENDS
Wild scenes unfolded after restrictions were lifted for residents of Greater Sydney. After more than 100 days of lockdown, more than 90 per cent of people aged over 16 in NSW have now had one dose and 73.5 per cent have had two doses.
Some couldn’t wait until the sun rose to celebrate their new-found freedom.
As the clock struck midnight, champagne bottles popped in pubs where huge crowds had gathered outside and hundreds of super-keen shoppers descended on stores in the dead of night to pick up a bargain.
Kmart stores saw dozens of shoppers queuing before midnight in lines that snaked 50m from the entrance.
NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet has urged Sydneysiders not to go too crazy as the city opened up.
“We want to make sure that we don’t go backwards. There are obviously rules still in place as we stage the opening up. People need to be patient as well because there will be challenges as we go through this period,” he said.
The northern state recorded 496 new cases and eight deaths overnight.
Meanwhile, locked-down Victorians eager for a return to pubs, cafes and events are rushing to prepare their proof of vaccination, with more than 50,000 people already set up.
On Monday morning, Services Victoria, Medicare and MyGov were updated to allow vaccine status to be linked to the state’s QR code system.
When lockdown ends in about two weeks, patrons will need to prove they are fully vaccinated to attend venues and this will be done through linking their information to the check-in scheme.
Victorians can do this now using their MyGov account or Medicare app on their phone, clicking through to their immunisation history and choosing to share it with Services Victoria.
The latest version of each program must have been updated on your phone for this to work.
As of 10am, there were already more than 50,000 people who have connected their vaccination certificates to Services Victoria.
The peak time was between 9.30am and 9.40am, when 4390 people signed up over a 10-minute period.
REMEMBRANCE DAY SERVICES CONFUSION
Victorian veterans are calling for clearer guidelines on Remembrance Day gatherings as they plan commemorative services for next month.
RSL branches and the state opposition want clarity over the government’s road map so more people can attend events to honour our fallen soldiers.
Remembrance Day – marking the date guns of the Western Front fell silent – will come about a week after Victoria is due to hit its 80 per cent fully vaccinated target and restrictions ease significantly.
It comes after veterans were left disappointed early this year when Melbourne’s Anzac Day parade was capped at 7500 participants and the dawn service was limited to just 1400 people.
RSL Victoria president Robert Webster was in talks with the Department of Health and the Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions regarding Remembrance Day services.
“We’re looking at preparing some broad guidelines for each of the sub branches,” he said.
“We are planning to have 100 people at the Springvale War Cemetery Service by invitation only.
“We hope to have something out to our sub branches by the end of the week.”
But Hawthorn RSL president Lucas Moon said that due to “lack of clarity” from RSL Victoria, the branch had made its own decisions on Remembrance Day services.
“We’ve already planned to have a Covid-safe event at the Hawthorn Cenotaph at St James Park,” he said.
“Our reading of the guidelines is that you can have 30 people outside. We’ve moved early after the Anzac Day debacle to interpret the rules and give certainty to people.”
The state opposition called on the government to give certainty to RSL clubs for staging Remembrance Day events on November 11 under the road map.
Opposition Veterans spokesman Tim Bull said there were questions around the rule limiting outdoor events with fully vaccinated people to 50 per cent capacity.
Mr Bull said RSL sub branches had indicated cenotaphs didn’t have a capacity, and clubs hadn’t been told how to determine numbers and if they had to police the rules such as checking vaccination status of participants.
“Remembrance Day is a time when all people should be able to gather to honour all who served, and in particular those who made the ultimate sacrifice,” he said. “The state government’s road map, if followed, will exclude unvaccinated veterans and their families from attending.”
A state government spokesman said: “We are working closely with the Shrine and RSL as the custodians of this important day, to ensure all who want to can commemorate in a meaningful way.”
MELBOURNE CUP WILL HOST THOUSANDS
The race that stops the nation will now be the race that restarts the city, with the Melbourne Cup to be held in front of up to 10,000 fans.
The trackside crowd has been locked in as a trial for the state’s reopening, along with a comeback concert at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl on October 30 – days after the state is tipped to hit the 70 per cent double dose milestone – with Molly Meldrum calling for a “Best Of Melbourne” bill to light up the stage.
“There are so many amazing singers who live here,” Meldrum told the Herald Sun.
Thousands of racegoers will also be permitted at Oaks Day and Stakes Day, if 80 per cent of those aged 16 and over across Victoria are fully vaccinated by then
Premier Daniel Andrews announced the events on Sunday, saying it was an important step forward.
“Being vaccinated means we can open up, and indeed we will,” Mr Andrews said.
“We are going to normalise the virus, move through this difficult gateway and open up and be back doing what we do best and that is big events and all the things that absolutely define us.”
Victoria’s double-dose rate is now 58.6 per cent and is on track to hit 80 per cent before November 5.
From Monday, a “vaccinated economy” trial will begin across 14 businesses in six municipalities.
The businesses, including cinemas, hotels, cafes, a gym, a church and a beauty clinic, will test vaccine certificate technology.
This follows an update that will allow fully vaccinated Victorians able to upload their vaccination certificates to the Service Victoria app from Monday.
A line up for the Melbourne concert, featuring only Victorian performers, will be revealed soon.
But Meldrum, and other music industry figures, believe big names like Tina Arena, John Farnham, Kate Ceberano, Mark Seymour, James Reyne and Paul Kelly would be on a wish list of potential performers. Others said musical blockbusters Moulin Rouge and Frozen should also be considered.
The plan to open Flemington to vaccinated punters underlined the rewards of being vaccinated against Covid-19, Racing Victoria chief executive Giles Thompson said.
Under the move, attendees will be spread across several zones with allocated seats.
They will only be able to attend if they wear a mask and are fully vaccinated, or have a vaccination exemption.
For the Cup, with a less-than-even chance of the state reaching an 80 per cent double dose rate by then, only those within 25km of the track will be allowed to attend.
“We are delighted that the race that stops a nation will herald the restart of our city,” Victorian Racing Club chairman Neil Wilson said.
The club will work closely with authorities on further rules for attendance.
Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief executive Paul Guerra said a return of racing crowds would enable the state to reclaim its mantle as the events and sporting capital of Australia – and send “an important signal that Melbourne is back in business”.
While Victoria Tourism Industry Council chief executive Felicia Mariani said the kickstart would “instil a sense of hope” that the state is off and running on the road to recovery after tremendous losses.
But Save Victorian Events Inc spokesman Simon Thewlis slammed the announcement as a “slap in the face” to all the event industry businesses that don’t know when they can host more than 150 people indoors.
“Through this whole crisis we have seen one set of rules for sport and another for the event industry,” he said.
Opposition spokesman for small business and CBD recovery, David Southwick, called for consistency, saying the government was “picking and choosing winners and losers”.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison commended the move to have vaccinated crowds, saying Victorians had sacrificed “so much more” than anyone else in the nation during the pandemic.
— Additional reporting: Jade Gailberger, Nui Te Koha, Grace Baldwin
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Originally published as 1612 new Covid cases, eight deaths in Victoria; mRNA vaccines now available to all Victorians
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