Victoria's health minister admits supermarkets are running out of FOOD as he says there's 'a lot of work to do' before restrictions can relax with 45 new infections - but Year 12 students WILL get vaccines

Victoria's health minister says the government are re-directing staff to under-manned supermarkets in Covid-hit regional areas as 45 new infections were confirmed in the state on Wednesday.  

Authorities say 36 of the new cases are linked to known outbreaks, while the source of the remaining nine infections are still under investigation.

Twenty-eight cases were infectious in the community and weren't isolating while they were deemed positive.  

In the state's daily coronavirus press conference Health Minister Martin Foley says the Andrews government is sending workers from council, aged care services, school services, civic support groups and food supply groups out to areas like Shepparton after short-staffed supermarkets saw people unable to access food. 

He admitted the state could be forced to use the Australian Defence Force to assist at-risk areas. 

'We're working through all of those issues. It's a challenge I know that the people of Shepparton - and the people of Victoria - are up to,' he said.

'If the call is made for further ADF support, it will be provided.'

He also said the Victorian government are not ruling out further border closures with New South Wales and that the magic 80 per cent vaccination rate would not be the end of restrictions.

Health Mininster Martin Foley says they are sending workers out to areas like Shepparton after short-staffed supermarkets saw people unable to access food

Victoria's health minister has dismissed claims the state could move out of lockdown on time if they can stop further mystery Covid cases as 45 new infections were confirmed on Wednesday

Foley said the Victorian government are not ruling out further border closures with New South Wales and that the magic 80 per cent vaccination rate would not be the end of restrictions

The health department on Wednesday confirmed 36 cases were linked to known outbreaks, while the source of the remaining nine infections are under investigation

Deputy Premier James Merlino said their priority is now to have all Year 12 students vaccinated before their end of year exams by October 4.

'The priority for us is to make sure that all final-year students have received their vaccination before they start sitting their exams on October 4,' he said in the press conference.

'That is our priority. Everyone 16 and over - but particularly those Year 12 students - we want to make sure that they're vaccinated before their exams start.'

The deputy premier also said they are targetting having all children over the age of 12 to at least have their first dose by the end of the year, but that senior school students were the immediate priority. 

'Whether that's through the many state vaccination hubs we've got across Victoria, whether it's through GPs, or whether it's through participating pharmacies,' he said Wednesday.

'We want to see  that kids 12 and older are vaccinated at least with their first dose by the end of the year.' 

Senior officials inside the Andrews government told the Herald Sun the current lockdown could be lifted if there are no mystery cases, even if daily numbers are still double digits.

Minister Foley however poured water over those suggestions in Wednesday morning's Covid press conference however, saying there is 'still a lot of work to do' and identified vaccination rates as the key to moving forward.  

'It is the trend that the public health officials in particular frame their advice to government and their decisions around,' he said.

'It's our public health officials who still tell us there is a lot of work to do to make sure that as we take vaccination rates up we bring infection levels down.' 

The health department on Wednesday confirmed 36 cases were linked to known outbreaks, while the source of the remaining nine infections are under investigation

Victoria is on track to reach 80 per cent vaccinations on November 16, but state leaders are quietly confident they will be able to open up faster if they can control mystery cases

Premier Andrews said on Tuesday he was confident Victoria would 'have options that Sydney won't have' before the September 2 lockdown cut-off 

Wednesday's total brings the total number of active cases in the state to 538.

Of the total 538 cases there are 101 aged between 10 and 19, with 89 in their 20s.  

Victoria is on track to reach the magic 80 per cent vaccination number on November 16, but state leaders are quietly confident they will be able to open up faster if they can control mystery cases.

A figure of 60 per cent vaccination is now being targeted, in accordance with the Doherty Institute modelling, which is being used by state and federal governments.

The state should hit that number on October 13, which could see a number of restrictions lifted.

Premier Andrews said on Tuesday he was confident Victoria would 'have options that Sydney won't have' before the September 2 lockdown cut-off.  

'We've got a chance of having some options and some choices to make between now and 70 per cent,' he said.

'That's what we're working towards.'

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has repeatedly referred to the Doherty modelling, saying: 'at 70 and 80 per cent you can reopen safely.'

On Tuesday the state government's vaccination website crashed when thousands of young people tried to secure a booking. 

Victoria had a record number of vaccinations on Tuesday with 31,629 jabs handed out. 

It comes as Pfizer eligibility was expanded to people aged 16 to 39 across Victoria's 55 vaccination hubs on Wednesday morning, as supply ramps up courtesy of 175,000 doses imported from Poland.

Premier Andrews said more than 830,000 vaccination bookings over the next four weeks will be made available from 7am on Wednesday, including 450,000 first-dose Pfizer appointments.

But within minutes of bookings opening, the website appeared to buckle.

Many young people reported receiving a '500 internal server error' after waiting in the queue to book their appointment, while others were told they were ineligible for the vaccine.

Victoria has recorded 45 new cases of coronavirus on Wednesday but the state are looking to a key statistic as it looks to move out of lockdown on time