Victoria reaches milestone vaccine threshold quicker than expected
Premier Daniel Andrews has warned Victoria is “going to be a vaccinated economy”, and if people want to be part of it, they must be jabbed.
Coronavirus
Don't miss out on the headlines from Coronavirus. Followed categories will be added to My News.
• This coronavirus article is unlocked and free to read in the interest of community health and safety. Tap here for full digital access to trusted news from the Herald Sun and Leader for just $1 a week for the first 12 weeks.
Premier Daniel Andrews has revealed what a ‘vaccine passport’ may look like in Victoria, explaining the double-jabbed would be afforded greater freedoms in the future.
“There’s going to be a vaccinated economy, and you get to participate in that if you are vaccinated,” he said.
“Now that’s not right now because of course there’s many more people who want to get vaccinated than we actually can get through the system, but we’re going to get to a point where everybody who can get vaccinated, will have been offered the chance to do so.
“We are not going to have a situation, at least not in Victoria, where we lock the whole place down to protect people who won’t protect themselves.”
Both the state and federal governments were working on technology, similar to the QR check-in app, which would show proof of vaccination, he said.
“It’s essentially the same process that you QR in and that and that also tells the vendor, the publican, the restaurant or whoever the owner of business might be, whether you are vaccinated or not … you either get a tick or a cross and on that basis you’re either allowed in or not,” Mr Andrews said.
The Premier said there were 11,000 AstraZeneca and 2000 Pfizer first dose appointments available in the next week.
“Put your name beside one of those AstraZeneca appointments,” Mr Andrews said.
He dubbed the state’s Covid crisis “a pandemic of the unvaccinated”, with only one of the 89 people in hospital fully-vaccinated.
“If you are double-dose protected with either of the vaccines available, you are almost certain to avoid very serious illness,” Andrews said.
“This is yet again another reminder and important point to make about the need to get vaccinated and vaccinated quickly.”
It comes as Victoria hits a significant vaccine milestone, passing the 60 per cent target of first vaccination doses for the eligible population.
Mr Andrews said the state could reach its 70 per cent threshold quicker than expected — which could allow for more freedoms sooner.
“That’s a fantastic milestone and I think we are going to the 70 per cent first dose a little quicker than we had thought,” he said.
Last week the Premier said Victoria would remain in lockdown until at least 70 per cent of the state was fully-vaccinated, with some minor freedoms allowed from September 23.
“The 23rd of September was on or about. But we have very significant (vaccine) take up in recent days. This last week has been a very strong week for us, as evidenced by yesterday being the biggest weekend day we had.”
The vaccine milestone comes as Victoria has recorded 183 new local Covid cases overnight — with a staggering 91 per cent of those aged under 50.
It also comes as the busy Box Hill Hospital is identified as a Tier 1 exposure site, with a positive case visiting the emergency department on Friday.
The exposure period has been listed from 5.30pm to 9.30pm.
Doctors, nurses and patients in the emergency department between those times must now quarantine for 14 days.
Box Hill Hospital joins Austin Hospital, Royal Melbourne Hospital, St Vincent’s Hospital, Dandenong Hospital and Northern Hospital to be listed as an exposure site during this outbreak.
63 cases have so far been linked to a construction site in Box Hill.
TRUCK DRIVER AMONG NEW CASES
Of Sunday’s 183 new cases, 101 were linked to know outbreaks and 82 are under investigation.
There are 24 people in ICU and 14 on ventilators.
Victoria has 1417 active Covid cases statewide, with 216 aged between zero to nine-years-old, 232 aged between 10 and 19, 348 aged in their 20s and 245 aged in their 30s.
A total of 29,950 people rolled up their sleeves to get vaccinated on Saturday, with 48,487 test results received.
Victoria’s Covid Commander Jereon Weimar said of Sunday’s cases, 94 were concentrated in the northern suburbs, including 53 in Hume and 17 in Moreland.
There were also 50 cases in the western suburbs, including 21 in Wyndham, four in Casey and three in Kingston, eight in the CBD, one in the City of Yarra and two new cases each in the eastern suburbs and inner south.
Six new cases were in Shepparton and one new case in Wodonga; a truckdriver who had created interstate exposure sites but none so far in Victoria.
Mr Weimar said the man isolated as soon as he developed symptoms.
Eight cases are still under investigation.
A healthcare worker at Northern Health is also among the new positive cases.
Authorities believe the infection was acquired outside of the facility.
Meanwhile, New South Wales recorded 1485 new locally acquired cases and three deaths.
Queensland has recorded one new locally acquired case on Sunday, after a close contact of a Covid-positive truck driver tested positive. They were quarantine at home.
‘ONLY JABS CAN SAVE US’
Prominent Melbourne hospitality operators are pushing for patrons and staff to be fully vaccinated to help revive the city.
The traders say mass vaccination is the only way to save devastated businesses and ensure that the city bounces back after crippling lockdowns.
Bruce Keebaugh, owner of major catering and events company The Big Group, wants his staff and clients to face mandatory jabs.
“Our clients need confidence to plan and book, our staff need to foresee a future. Our suppliers and sole traders need our support to restore their livelihoods,” he said.
“And we will do this by ensuring each member of our staff is fully vaccinated to greet our fully vaccinated guests.”
“There is no way out for the hospitality sector without frontline hospitality worker vaccinations as an urgent priority.”
“We would like to see government adopt a triage approach where vaccination is the number one priority, supported by rapid antigen testing to provide inclusion for those unable to vaccinate, and to provide environments that are Covid-free,” he said.
Cherry Bar owner James Young said his venues had been closed for over a year.
“If you can get children back to school, me back to work and artists back on stage, I’d have the jab every weekend,” he said.
“Like so many other businesses, I continue to suffer crippling losses. The government grants are very helpful, but they’re a Band-Aid.”
Mr Young, who is also a City of Melbourne-appointed “night mayor”, said he and his business partners were finalising a rule that all staff had to be vaccinated to work.
“I don’t want to see anyone die needlessly, so that’s why I’m so passionate about everyone getting the jab,” he said.
“We’ve got to get off this lockdown rollercoaster. The government has made it perfectly clear that the only way out is through vaccination.”
Owner of Epocha restaurant, Angie Giannakokadis, said mass vaccination was the key to opening up, but she stopped short of calling for mandatory jabs, believing it would be too divisive.
“All my staff are getting vaccinated, they’re all invested in that,” she said.
“If you care about the individual, then you must take care of the community first – that is how I see it.”
Ms Giannakokadis said vaccination was not about the individual.
“This is about all of us together, because that’s how we look after each other. This is what we have to do, for each other,” she said.
“(To encourage vaccination) it has to be emotive and show people what we’re missing out on right now.”
THE SHOW MUST GO ON
Australia’s peak live performance industry body wants theatre shows to reboot rehearsals in late September with a plan to return to capacity crowds by December.
Live Performance Australia — which represents promoters, producers, performing arts companies, arts and music festivals, and stadiums and arenas — says industry leaders are also discussing proof of vaccination and “no jab, no entry” issues as part of Covid-safe measures to reopen gigs.
LPA’s chief executive Evelyn Richardson said vaccination targets, including 70 per cent getting a first jab by September 20, and 80 per cent in November, gives performers a hopeful timeline to get back on stage.
“We’re going for gold with those targets of 70 per cent and 80 per cent. At 70 per cent we want to see rehearsals permitted, otherwise as we get to the end of the year – November, December, January – we won’t have shows ready to go,” Ms Richardson said.
“We need to be able to get back into rehearsals, so if we’re able to activate later in the year, come November-December, we’ve got shows ready, particularly on the theatre side.
“At 70 per cent, we recognise there will be ongoing restrictions and health overlays, but once we get to 80 per cent, we will be looking for the industry to reopen at 100 per cent capacity with overlays like masks, QR codes and Covid-safe plans.”
Ms Richardson said the LPA had made submissions about the industry’s targets to Victorian and NSW governments.
In Melbourne, epic Broadway musicals Harry Potter and the Cursed Child and Frozen, have been dark since mid-July.
Lockdowns also shut down Potter for most of 2020 and early 2021.
Moulin Rouge, which had its premiere postponed twice, is planning to open on October 3.
Meanwhile, LPA said industry leaders are also discussing proof of vaccination and no jab-no entry issues for theatre shows and music gigs.
“We’re talking about that with state governments, particularly in NSW and Victoria, The discussion is how that would work, and what tool would be used,” Ms Richardson said.
On the no jab-no entry talks, she said: “Those discussions are very live at the moment. I don’t know that you can have a hard and fast, one size fits all rule.”
In the US, Broadway shows will require theatregoers to be vaccinated against Covid-19 in order to attend performances, under new rules to take effect in October.
Concert giant Live Nation will also require all artists, crew and attendees show proof of full vaccination or a negative test at their US venues and festivals.
Ms Richardson said Australians need to get the jab so performers can get back to work.
“We are very focused on everybody getting vaxed.”
DAN’S KIDS SERVE UP AN EARLY TREAT
He wasn’t on the beers but Premier Daniel Andrews was in a spritely mood in an early Father’s Day snap on Saturday night.
Mr Andrews shared a social media post showing him being treated to steak and chips by his children Noah, Joseph and Grace.
“Work tomorrow, so the kids cooked up an early Father’s Day steak and chips for tonight. Beats socks and jocks. Love them more everyday,” he wrote.
The most brutal and bizarre lockdown rules imposed on Melburnians
From the bonk ban, the bubble system, the 5km radius, the ‘ring of steel’ to the closure of playgrounds and outdoor basketball courts, these are some of the harshest restrictions on our freedoms.
Health boss who played key role in Victoria’s Covid response stands down
The Department of Health secretary who became a public figure making tough and controversial decisions during the pandemic will depart amid a leadership reshuffle.