Victoria’s Covid restrictions set to ease as Daniel Andrews flags major changes

Premier Daniel Andrews has revealed major changes are on the horizon as Victoria’s Covid restrictions start being wound back.

Further Covid restrictions are set to ease within the week, with an announcement expected in the coming days.

Premier Daniel Andrews on Wednesday revealed major changes were on the horizon, with industry and government sources flagging that density limits, dance floors and QR codes could be among the first restrictions to be wound back.

A roadmap for returning to work in the coming weeks is also being actively discussed, with business leaders telling the government it needed to scrap its work-from-home recommendation and remove masks in office settings.

Senior business figures have been told mask requirements are likely to be scrapped on a multi-stage process with the mandate likely to be dropped first in office settings.

However masks in retail settings are expected to be in place for longer.

“I hope to be able to make some really important announcements about rules (and) about normalising this virus,” Mr Andrews said.

The rules on masks in retail settings are expected to stay. Picture: David Geraghty

Daily infection numbers have stabilised giving authorities confidence to wind back restrictions imposed when Omicron cases were surging.

Mr Andrews on Wednesday also walked back his ­previously firm stance to ­exclude all international arrivals from the vaccinated economy if they weren’t triple vaccinated.

ATAGI last week ruled Australians will need to have a Covid booster shot within six months of their primary dose to be considered “up to date”.

While the state government is yet to act on the ATAGI direction by mandating a third jab, the commonwealth is not expected to enforce a booster for arrivals.

Mr Andrews said this could affect the government’s own approach to the vaccinated economy, flagging it may not be realistic to require broad-ranging mandates.

It comes as the nation’s chief health officer, Paul Kelly, revealed he wasn’t in favour of mandating vaccinations.

Speaking at a Senate estimates hearing on Wednesday, Professor Kelly said: “Philosophically and professionally, I’m not in favour of mandating anything including vaccinations”.

Meanwhile, all elective surgery across Victorian public and private hospitals can resume by the end of the month.

Health Minister Martin Foley said he signed off on a plan that “balances the health system response and workforce pressures with ensuring Victorians can access important surgery”.