Covid-19 updates: Restrictions to ease for Victorians; NSW records 1351 new cases
Some restrictions are set to ease for Victoria, while NSW has had another day with high Covid deaths.
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Melburnians will soon be able to leave home for “outdoor social interaction” after the state hit its 70 per cent first-dose vaccination target a week early.
Premier Daniel Andrews announced the new reason to leave home during lockdown at a press conference on Thursday.
The new measure will kick in from 11.59pm on Friday, just in time for the weekend.
It means one person may meet another person not from their household for a picnic, a walk or other outdoor activity.
Up to five adults and children from two households may gather outdoors if all adults are fully vaccinated.
Mr Andrews also revealed the 5km travel limit would be increased to 10km and the time allowed for outdoor exercise would double from two to four hours per day.
Outdoor personal training will also be allowed to resume with up to two people plus the trainer.
Outdoor communal gym equipment and skate parks can also reopen, and real estate inspections will be allowed to resume by appointment only.
“This is what Victorians have craved for a long time and we’re pleased to be able to take these modest but I think significant steps to provide this outdoor social interaction,” Mr Andrews said.
“It needs to be done safely, it needs to be done carefully but these are important steps for us to take.”
The Premier had flagged earlier this month some lockdown rules would be relaxed once the 70 per cent first dose vaccination target was met.
At least 68.49 per cent of Victorians aged 16 and older had received their first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine by Wednesday, with the 70 per cent target expected to be reached on Thursday.
Victorians have smashed the initial prediction of September 23 by almost a week.
The state recorded 514 new locally acquired coronavirus cases on Thursday, the highest daily spike since the deadly second wave peaked at 686 on August 4 last year.
Among the other measures eased in Victoria from Saturday is that up to five people will be able to attend an entertainment venue or physical recreation facility to broadcast a performance, class or concert.
Childcare for school aged children will also be permitted if only one parent is an authorised worker.
Meanwhile, in regional Victoria, excluding Ballarat, gyms and outdoor and indoor pools, but not spas, saunas and steam rooms, can reopen from 11.59pm on Friday.
Hydrotherapy and swimming lessons can also resume, while tour buses will be able to operate with up to 10 people.
ANOTHER 12 DEATHS FOR NSW
Another 1351 new cases of Covid-19 have been recorded in NSW and tragically 12 deaths as a concerning new figure was flagged by the health minister.
There are now 15,000 active cases in NSW with Health Minister Brad Hazzard saying those people were being cared for by health officials.
“More than 15,000 people with Covid-19 are being cared for in our NSW health system. The majority of those, over 90 per cent, are being cared for in the community, at home generally,” he said.
Of the active cases, 1231 are in hospital with 231 of those people in intensive care - 108 of whom require ventilation.
Mr Hazzard said more than 80 percent of eligible people had now received one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine.
Mr Hazzard urged people to continue coming forward to get tested, stating that health would rely on that information when making decisions.
The 12 deaths included a man in his 90s, two men in their 60s, three women in their 80s, two women in their 60s, a man in his 40s, a woman in her 70s, a woman in his 70s, and a man in his 50s.
Two more regions were also plunged into lockdown.
Lismore and Albury, on opposite ends of the state, will go into lockdown from 6pm Thursday, Mr Hazzard confirmed.
Despite the high case numbers, the state is creeping closer and closer to its “freedom day” on October 18 and according to vaccine tracking website Covid Live, NSW could reach the 70 per cent double dose milestone as much as a week earlier.
Almost half (48.5 per cent) of the eligible population are fully vaccinated.
It comes as NSW is edging closer to “freedom day”, with new data suggesting the state could hit 70 per cent of its eligble population fully vaccinated a week earlier than first predicted.
NSW has surged ahead over the last month in the race to vaccinate the nation with more than 80 per cent of the population aged 16 and older now having received one dose.
Almost 49 per cent of eligible residents are fully vaccinated against Covid-19 in NSW, which comes in just behind ACT at 53 per cent.
Victoria is 42 per cent fully vaccinated.
NSW is now expected to hit 70 per cent fully vaccinated on October 11, which is a week earlier than the first predicted date of October 18.
Once the state hits the target, stay-at-home orders for fully vaccinated people will be lifted the following Monday.
Fully vaccinated people will also be able to gather in private homes and public spaces, and attend hospitality venues, retail stores and gyms.
CANBERRA OUTBREAK GROWS
Canberra has recorded 15 new locally acquired Covid-19 cases, bringing the national capital’s total outbreak to 556.
Of the 15 new cases, five were in isolation for their entire infectious period, while the remaining 10 were contagious out in the community.
Eleven of the transmissions have been linked to existing cases and four remain under investigation.
ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr confirmed nine Canberrans were now in hospital with Covid-19, including one person in intensive care.
Canberra’s lockdown was extended by another four weeks on Tuesday and is now set to end on October 15.
Mr Barr said restrictions would be eased gradually, moving through phases that will see home visitation limits and caps on gatherings gradually increase and a staged return to office buildings.
“We expect restrictions to gradually change through these vaccination phases in October and November, with the caveat that they may need to be adjusted to respond to increased risk of Covid-19 spreading,” he said.
“When looking to change our public health restrictions, we'll consider those national and local vaccination rates and the levels of community transmission – especially the proportion of cases infectious in the community.”
QUEENSLAND RECORDS ONE CASE
Queensland has recorded one new locally acquired Covid-19 case, linked to the Sir Thomas More College cluster.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the student was in home quarantine and had not been infectious in the community.
The school cluster originated last week when a 13-year-old student tested positive, after a NSW essential worker stayed with her father.
The virus spread throughout the family of five, and the school was immediately locked down.
The new case comes amid a Queensland Health blitz this weekend to vaccinate as many people as possible.
Pfizer vaccines will be available to all Queenslanders who walk into a state-hub this weekend, to drive up the lagging rate.
Just 57.6 per cent of eligible Queenslanders have received their first dose of vaccine, and just 39.4 per cent are fully vaccinated.
“It doesn’t matter where you get the vaccine from, as long as you get it,” Ms Palaszczuk told Parliament.
“I summon Queenslanders to sign up for the jab army.”
And, after the success of a pop-up vaccine hub outside an NRL game last week, punters attending both semi-finals games in Mackay this weekend will have the chance to get jabbed
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