Melbourne CBD traders want incentives such as free and discounted parking

City traders say free parking for shoppers and other bold ideas are needed to get the struggling CBD thriving again.

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Traders at one of Melbourne’s most iconic shopping arcades are calling for the immediate return of CBD workers and free parking to get the city thriving once again.

Block Arcade managing director Grant Cohen said CBD workers needed to “immediately return” to the CBD to get it back on its feet.

“The lifeblood of the CBD is the workers and when they come back, it’s the workers’ partners that come back and visit them for lunch and dinner, so when half a million workers come back into the city it translates to one million people in the CBD,” Mr Cohen said.

“Proof of that is the difference between weekdays and weekends because the weekends are strong, the city is alive and well on the weekend.

Business owners such as Sandra Geeat are hopeful more shoppers return to the Block Arcade and the CBD. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

“But during the week without the workers here it’s an issue, so that’s the number one most important thing that we have to have back.”

Mr Cohen said the city also desperately needed tourists to come back.

“We were so excited to welcome tourists back on February 21 but then we’re told that they’re not allowed to go to venues and shop until they’ve had a third vaccination. It’s gut-wrenching.”

The French Jewel Box boutique manager Nina Mizzi said the state government should also offer incentives to workers and shoppers including free and discounted parking.

“If the government were to offer some incentives for parking, so people can get into the city without having to use public transport that might be helpful,” she said.

It comes as restaurant king Chris Lucas announced last week he would stage his own CBD recovery campaign by offering big discounts for dining at his six venues.

Patrons at his venues will be offered 30 per cent discounts on midweek lunch bills, free parking for dinner, and happy hour specials.

“This city of ours is one of the most liveable cities in the world, and we are ready to welcome everyone back, and show visitors what we are famous for,” he said.

ATAGI’S GRIM WARNING ON VACCINE PROTECTION

Victoria on Saturday recorded 19 Covid deaths and 7224 new cases.

Of the new infections, 2545 came from PCR tests and 4679 from rapid antigen kits.

There are 487 people hospitalised with 79 in intensive care and 20 on ventilators.

The total number of active cases now stands at 55,102.

Extraordinary details released by the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) have confirmed the protection provided by current vaccines can wane from 80 per cent to as little as zero in just four months.

The national drug regulator’s updated advice said “early estimates” of vaccine effectiveness against infection of the Omicron variant similarly indicated “lower initial vaccine effectiveness” from two doses of both the Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines.

At best, the estimates mean a double-dosed person will lose 50 per cent of their protection in just 120 days.

Your Covid vaccine may not be protecting you anymore. Picture: David Geraghty.

The initial estimate of 36-88 per cent protection “wanes rapidly to 0-34 per cent from about 4 months after the second dose”.

ATAGI said “steadily accumulated” data indicates that the numerous mutations within the spike protein receptor of the Omicron variant “facilitates immune escape” and therefore increases the likelihood of reinfection in individuals previously infected with earlier variants, and breakthrough infection of vaccinated individuals.

The updated advice says a Pfizer booster dose “appears” to restore moderate levels of effectiveness against symptomatic Omicron infection by 71 to 76 per cent.

“Vaccine effectiveness against hospitalisation with Omicron shows a similar pattern of waning, falling to 52 per cent after a two-dose primary series,” the ATAGI release reads. “A booster dose increases vaccine effectiveness against hospitalisation to 88 per cent.”

Australia recently shaved the waiting period for booster shots down to three months as the Omicron variant continues to rip through the east coast.

The advisory group stressed there “have been no safety signals of concern for an earlier booster dose given from three months after the primary series where this is used overseas (e.g. United Kingdom)”.