Woman in 20s dies of Covid as Victoria records lowest case rise since October 6

Health authorities have revealed why Covid-19 continues to run rampant across Victoria. It comes as the number of new cases falls to the lowest number since October 6.

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Covid-19 testing head Jeroen Weimar has revealed that two-thirds of new cases reported each day in Victoria had not been vaccinated at all.

Victorian authorities are now hoping to focus on a group of about half a million people not vaccinated.

“Those not vaccinated are the ones who are far more likely to be caught up in our daily case numbers and end up in hospital in intensive care,” Mr Weimar said.

Mr Foley anounced seven people died with Covid in the past 24 hours - a woman aged in her 20s, two men in their 40s, a man in his 60s, two women and a man in their 80s and a man in his 90s.

He later clarified the woman in her 20s had Covid, but died of an unrelated cause.

“You’ll understand why I don’t want to go into the particular circumstances of any of the cases that died,” he said.

“What I can say is that the traumatic death of that person wasn’t caused by Covid. The person died with Covid in tragic circumstances.”

The number of new Covid cases in Victoria had fallen to the lowest number since October 6, with 1461 recorded after 56,905 tests.

There are now 152 people in intensive care, 92 on ventilators.

The number of active cases in Victoria is at 24,831.

Victoria is at 74 per cent fully vaccinated.

In the daily Covid briefing on Monday, Mr Foley revealed a plan to boost Indigenous vaccination rates in Victoria.

About 80 per cent of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Victorians aged over 12 have had their first dose, compared to 90 per cent for the wider community.

The government hopes to boost rates through mobile outreach vans, pop-ups and extra workforce.

“What we’re determined to do is to work in the culturally safe led partnership with the likes of health services to make sure that we drive the figures up and that we do so in a way that reflects the needs and the aspirations of our Indigenous communities,” Mr Foley said.

Covid Commander Jeroen Weimar and Health Minister Martin Foley at the Victorian Aboriginal Health Service on Monday. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Andrew Henshaw

The Victorian Aboriginal Health Service chief executive Michael Graham said there was “a bit of fear” among Indigenous communities when it came to Covid-19 and the vaccine.

Mr Graham said he was encouraging the community to come forward.

“I think there’s a bit of fear, you’ve got to look at the history of this country and the amount of viruses that have come into this country that have been introduced, and the effects that has had on Aboriginal people,” he said.

“So there’s always going to be a bit of fear of any vaccine or any virus that comes into this country.”

Responding to a report on a leaked email revealing details of vaccination and quarantine rules for the Australian Open, Mr Foley said the government was working with Tennis Australia on the matter of unvaccinated players.

About 80 per cent of the international circuit players are currently vaccinated.

When asked if it would be a double standard to allow non-vaccinated tennis players in, while unvaccinated community members remained under strict restrictions, Mr Foley said it was “a matter for the Commonwealth”.

“Who gets into Australia is a matter for the Commonwealth. If you come into Australia and you’re not vaccinated, you will be subject to a different regime,” he said.

“I’m confident we’re going to have a bumper crowd at the Australian Open who are fully vaccinated.”

WHEN WE CAN GO BACK TO BALI

Bali is begging for Victorian tourists but has so far been left off the travel bubble list.

Federal Tourism Minister Dan Tehan on Monday answered Herald Sun readers’ questions, including when Australians might get back to having a Bintang on Kuta beach.

Read his responses here.

Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce said his airline planned to fast-track international flights, with the reopening of borders expected to spark a rapid recovery in travel demand over summer.

Six Qantas and Jetstar routes will commence earlier than expected as all stood down employees get back to work on December.

With the reopening of the NSW border on November 1, Qantas is bringing forward the restart of routes from Sydney to Phuket, Singapore, Bangkok, Johannesburg and Fiji in addition to the Los Angeles and London flights already on sale.

Qantas will also launch for the first time a route from Sydney to Delhi, set to launch on December 6.

The national carrier also plans to offer three return flights a week, leading up to one per day by Christmas.

Mr Joyce said he was in talks with the Indonesian government around plans to operate flights back into Bali.

POLICE TO REVIEW CHAPEL ST FOOTAGE

Victoria Police are reviewing footage of people celebrating the end of lockdown on Chapel Street after wild scenes emerged from the popular strip on Friday night.

In footage posted online, maskless revellers were seen dancing, jumping on utes, and cheering as vehicles passed by doing burnouts on the road.

“We don’t want to dampen everyone’s enthusiasm and their excitement and … opportunity to catch up with friends in family after a long period in lockdown,” Victoria Police Commander Tim Tully told 3AW.

“Realistically, I think we just want people to make smart choices and for them to do it responsibly, we don’t want them to undertake that behaviour like we saw and make silly choices.”

Commander Tully said the force was not checking the vaccination status of people at hospitality venues over the weekend, as the state’s tough new measures for the industry came into effect.

Diners behave responsibly on Chapel St — but not everyone was on their best behaviour on the weekend. Picture: David Geraghty

But he conceded he was unsure whether the force had legal authority to check the vaccination status of Victorian citizens.

“That is something that is currently being worked through at the moment, and we will work with the government in respect to that,” he said.

He said most Victorians behaved responsibility in the first weekend out of the state’s sixth lockdown.

Ten penalty notices and 55 warnings were issued to people breaching the chief health officer directions over the weekend.

“Generally speaking, I think people got out to enjoy catching up with friends and family but did so in a responsible manner,” he said.

SCHOOLS SHUT DOWN AFTER COVID SCARES

Trinity Grammar in Kew — the site of a large Covid outbreak mid-year — was closed on Monday after a Covid-positive year 7 student attended the campus.

The student attended on his first day back, last Friday.

Parents were told by email at 1.15am on Monday.

The senior campus was closed and students reverted to remote learning.

Close contacts are being identified and unvaccinated students will have to isolate for 14 days and vaccinated students for seven.

Year 12 students, who are due to start exams on Wednesday, have been working from home on Swot Vac.

Aitken Hill Primary, in Craigieburn, and St Albans Meadows Primary remained closed on Monday due to Covid scares.

It comes as 220 schools were hit with outbreaks in recent weeks, with this number set to rise as the state opens up.

REGIONS TO WELCOME MELBURNIANS

The phones have been ringing off the hook at Lake Eppalock Holiday Park as Melburnians seek to hit the road and enjoy free movement across the state for the long weekend.

From 6pm on Friday, people in metropolitan Melbourne will be allowed into regional Victoria, a move that is expected to inject hundreds of thousands of dollars into the regions.

The Victoria Tourism Industry Council said the announcement was a watershed moment after more than 18 months of extended lockdowns and closures.

Premier Daniel Andrews said on Sunday the Melbourne Cup long weekend was back on, given the state is due to reach its 80 per cent double vaccination target early.

He said regional Victoria and metropolitan Melbourne would “unite and move forward” on the same restrictions.

“That means it’s a proper Melbourne Cup long weekend … for people to travel, to book holidays, to do all sorts of different things,” Mr Andrews said. “Hopefully that is positive news for everybody.”

After months of double standards, Lake Eppalock Holiday Park owner Peter Rose told the Herald Sun the park had struggled to keep up with calls from prospective visitors.

“You’re trying to have two people answer the phone but we still could not keep up with the phone calls,” Mr Rose said.

“For our business, it is fantastic for people to be able to get out and start to enjoy that so-called freedom.”

Mr Rose said that a few weeks ago, the park had to cancel the long weekend bookings of people from metropolitan Melbourne because the state wasn’t due to reach 80 per cent until November 5.

“It definitely has been a challenging time,” he said.

“We just look forward to all our customers and clients having the ability now to come back and enjoy themselves.

“Over the next couple of months we will be very busy every weekend.”

A group enjoys a St Kilda Sunday session as double vaxxed Melburnians return to pubs and restaurants. Picture: David Geraghty

VTIC chief Felicia Mariani said the tourism sector was celebrating, and that it was the end of a “dark chapter”.

“Now this is what I call a roadmap,” Ms Mariani said.

“With metropolitan Melbourne finally able to venture beyond its own borders, increased capacities for our hospitality venues, events having surety about how they can ­activate, and attractions able to open their doors to visitors they’ve desperately missed, the industry can finally hit reset.”

Although the eased restrictions will mean Victorians can travel interstate again, there is no certainty around when other states will open up.

An announcement on the NSW-Victoria border is expected soon, while quarantine-free travel to Queensland is expected around December 17 if Victoria is still deemed a hotspot.

Tasmania last week revealed that fully vaccinated people from interstate would be able to enter from December 15 if they return a negative test.

FULL FREEDOMS TO RETURN IN A MONTH

Freedom will be fast-tracked for vaccinated Victorians when restrictions are ­almost entirely scrapped in time for summer.

It comes as Friday was tipped to be a “champagne day” for businesses as tourism and retail were given the green light to open in time for the Melbourne Cup long weekend.

Density limits and patron caps will be removed in just over four weeks after Premier Daniel Andrews announced major changes would kick in when 90 per cent of the state was double-dosed, expected on ­November 24.

The strict measures that kept Melbourne locked down for 263 days will be a thing of the past and restrictions eased so significantly to resemble life before the pandemic.

Masks will be required only in high-risk locations, such as aged care and public transport, while major concerts and sport events can go ahead with an approved Covid-safe plan.

Density limits and patron caps will be removed in just over four weeks Picture: David Geraghty

Mr Andrews said the “exciting” changes could even come into effect before November 24 if 90 per cent of Victorians aged 12 and up were double-dosed ahead of schedule.

Melbourne data specialist Anthony Macali, who founded the website Covid Live, said Victoria could be 90 per cent vaccinated as soon as November 20 or 22 on current trends.

Mr Andrews on Sunday announced the state was expected to have fully vaccinated 80 per cent of those aged 16 and over on October 29.

Changes expected with that milestone have been locked in from 6pm Friday, with regional Victoria and metropolitan Melbourne to be reunited under the same rules with ­unlimited travel.

Health authorities will scrap patron caps indoors for vaccinated people attending hospitality, hairdressing and recreational venues, with a one person per 4sq m density limit.

Up to 500 people will be permitted at these venues outdoors with limits of one person for every two square metres.

The same guidelines will apply for weddings and funerals, but unvaccinated people will also be able to attend with restrictions.

The biggest change will kick in at 90 per cent, when no caps will be enforced and major events will be able to push ahead with Covid-safe plans.

The Premier said it meant he hoped to see at least 80,000 people at the Boxing Day Test at the MCG, with the aim of getting this figure as close as possible to full capacity.

Mr Andrews said the “fantastic effort” of the millions of vaccinated Victorians paved the way for the drastic shift from driving cases to zero, to safely reopening while cases are present in the community.

“I could not be more proud of every single Victorian, who has, as I said, been through so much, but done so well,” Mr Andrews said.

“We asked you to get vaccinated, you have done that in record time and in record numbers and that means we have to open the place up.”

The state was initially expected to hit 80 per cent double dosed by November 5.

Mr Andrews said questions remained over when and how the federal government would be rolling out booster shots in early-2022, with legislation being drafted to ramp up the double-dose mandates in place into next year.

“To continue participating in that vaccinated economy, you will need to have a booster shot,” he said.

It was revealed mandates would be enforced at non-essential retail stores when Victoria hits 90 per cent, with shoppers and staff unable to attend unless fully vaccinated.

“It’s our approach to try and achieve life as close to normal as possible. You (unvaccinated) can go and do some shopping for the basics … you can’t get into any venue, and into the vast majority of venues, whether it’s a bookshop or shoe shop,” the Premier said.

Gym managers Jonathan Quieros and Danny Jones are thrilled to welcome people back into the gym. Picture: Jason Edwards

Announcements of the accelerated roadmap come after the Herald Sun revealed business chiefs were pushing for the government to “show empathy” and reveal when all restrictions will end.

Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief Paul Guerra said he was “thrilled” businesses across Victoria could reopen in greater capacities in time for summer.

“Today’s announcement will be a massive step forward for the tourism, entertainment and events sector, which can now plan to come back strong,” he said. “Friday will be a champagne day for business, which will then set us up for a spectacular summer.”

In response to the revised roadmap, Opposition Leader Matthew Guy unveiled a $10m plan to offer Victorians a $10 voucher to lure them back to pubs and bars for a free drink.

“After the world’s longest lockdown, Victorians need something to enjoy,” he said.

NEW RULES EXPLAINED

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RELIEF AS REMOTE LEARNING ENDS

Nearly a million jubilant Victorian school kids are returning to the classroom from Monday next week after 35 long weeks of learning from home this year.

Education Minister James Merlino said he “couldn’t be more excited to see all Victorian students getting back into the classroom full-time well ahead of schedule”.

The announcement was met with delight and relief from parents and students.

Read the full story here.

Sisters Kaya and Aisha are jumping for joy that school is returning. Picture: Josie Hayden

RESTRICTIONS EASE FOR CHRISTMAS RUSH

Struggling retailers will throw open their doors while pubs and cafes will swell with more customers when the state hits its next vaccine target in time for the Melbourne Cup long weekend.

Premier Daniel Andrews has locked in a further easing of restrictions on businesses, to be triggered when the state hits 80 per cent full vaccination, from 6pm on Friday.

It means indoor retail will finally open, while hospitality will welcome more guests under density quotas. Up to 500 people will also be able to dine and drink outdoors.

Read the full story here.