Victoria records 246 new Covid-19 cases but is set to enjoy freedoms EARLIER than expected as Daniel Andrews reveals the first two lockdown restrictions to be lifted in Melbourne
Victoria is set to lift a range of restrictions sooner than expected with the state ahead of schedule to reach its 70 per cent vaccination target.
Premier Daniel Andrews promised he would begin to roll back minor restrictions when the state was expected to hit the vaccination milestone on September 23.
This was despite Victoria recording 246 new cases of coronavirus on Monday, it's most in a single day since August 19 last year.
Just 121 of those cases, not even half, are linked to the rest of the outbreak as contact tracers fall further and further behind.
They were diagnosed from 42,258 test results and 26,955 vaccine doses were administered on Sunday.
With 60 per cent of Victorians having already received their first jab, the state is expected to reach its 70 per cent target five days ahead of schedule on September 19.
New freedoms will include increasing the 5km travel radius to 10km and reopening outdoor gym equipment and skate parks.
Victoria is set to lift a range of restrictions sooner than expected with the state ahead of schedule to reach its 70 per cent vaccination target (pictured, outdoor gym equipment will be reopened)
Premier Daniel Andrews promised he would begin to roll back minor restrictions when the state was expected to hit the vaccination milestone on September 23 (pictured, exercise time limit will be increased from two to three hours)
The exercise time limit will be increased from two to three hours and personal trainers will be able to host sessions outdoors with two clients at a time.
Families will be allowed to babysit school-age children if both their parents are critical workers.
House hunters will be allowed to inspect unoccupied premises.
Construction companies will also be allowed to increase site capacity to 50 per cent when 90 per cent of the workforce had received first jabs.
Speaking at a press conference on Sunday, Mr Andrews said he was hopeful his state would reach the vaccination target sooner than expected.
'Every appointment that gets made, every shot in the arm between now and then will bring that date forward,' he said.
'Don't wait for next month, don't wait until some other time, act on that now.'
A weekend record 29,915 doses were administered at Victorian-run hubs on Saturday, taking the state closer to its goal of one million jabs in five weeks.
Of the 183 new cases reported on Sunday, 101 have been linked to known outbreaks and 91 per cent are aged under 50.
One of the new cases is a Wodonga-based truck driver who visited several interstate exposure sites and has been isolating at home.
The emergence of that case and another six in Shepparton doesn't appear to have spooked the premier, who reiterated he expects to announce within days parts of regional Victoria will be able to ease lockdown restrictions.
'The number of cases in regional Victoria are very low, except for Shepparton,' Mr Andrews said.
'Our hope would be to have the lockdown off in regional Victoria as soon as possible. That won't be a return to everyone's-open-and-maximum-capacity, there will be less than that.
New freedoms will include increasing the 5km travel radius to 10km when the state hits its vaccination target on September 19
Speaking at a press conference on Sunday, Mr Andrews said he was hopeful his state would reach the vaccination target sooner than expected
'But I'm sure both regional Victorians will have greater freedom and regional Victorian businesses will have much greater takings than they do now.'
Late last week, the premier flagged a vaccine passport pilot program would soon be trialled in regional Victorian venues such as pubs and restaurants and for major sports events.
The Moonee Valley Racing Club is pushing to host thousands of fully vaccinated spectators as part of a 'no jab, no entry' policy for next month's Cox Plate.
'I am certain that there will be a whole range of events once we get to 70 and 80 per cent double dose thresholds ... that will be open for vaccinated people only,' Mr Andrews said.
There are 89 patients in Victorian hospitals, with 24 in intensive care and 13 of on ventilators. Only one of those in hospital is fully vaccinated.
Meanwhile, a $27 million food and financial relief package for Victoria's most vulnerable people was also announced on Sunday.
Of the 183 new cases reported on Sunday, 101 have been linked to known outbreaks and 91 per cent are aged under 50
'The package is very much about putting our arms around those vulnerable people,' Disability, Ageing and Carers Minister Luke Donnellan said.
There will be $6 million to help people under financial stress access healthy food, while a further $3.7 million will be allocated to 'partners' including the Red Cross to help support thousands of families subject to stay-at-home orders.
Almost $6 million will fund the extension of the Extreme Hardship Support Program to the end of 2021, plus $7.2 million to provide tailored assistance - including vaccination promotion - for culturally diverse communities.