On the advice of the Acting Chief Health Officer, today we are making a number of changes to slow the spread of the virus, vaccinate more Victorians, and protect our health system.
Through the pandemic, restrictions have been our primary weapon.
With the supply of vaccine finally becoming widely available, we're able to choose a different path - to protect workers who can't do their essential work from home, protect our health system, and our reopening.
On the advice of the Acting Chief Health Officer, and all authorised workers in Melbourne and regional Victoria will require their first COVID-19 vaccine dose by Friday 15 October in order to continue working onsite.
As well as laying out how we will deliver the National Plan, the roadmap lets Victorians know when we can catch up with friends and family, and get back to the things we love.
An accessible version of the summary, as well as the full roadmap will be available at premier.vic.gov.au shortly.
Here are some of the key things you need to know.
Restrictions will ease as more Victorians are vaccinated, with one important condition:
To ensure the health system isn't overrun any easing will be subject to health system capacity and current public health advice.
I know a lot of you have been waiting to hear this news:
Check the thread for more info, but from 7am tomorrow, all Victorians over 16 will be eligible to book an appointment to be vaccinated at state vaccine centres.
Here's the details:
From tomorrow, 16 to 59 year olds will be eligible for the Pfizer vaccine, 18 to 59 year olds will also be eligible for the AstraZeneca, and Victorians 60 and over will still receive the Astra Zeneca.
At 7am tomorrow morning appointments will be available for anyone aged 16 and over at coronavirus.vic.gov.au or by phoning the Coronavirus Hotline on 1800 675 398.
Just wanted to give everyone an update. Thanks to the best of care, I’m making slow and steady progress.
A couple of weeks ago when I started daily walks, I could only manage about 15 minutes – now I’m out for almost an hour.
My physio is also going well, but it’s clear I won’t be able to return to work before the State Budget in May. The good news is my team of specialists are confident that I will be back in June.
You only get one chance to properly recover from serious injuries and while it’s frustrating to be away from work, there is no alternative.
We just have to wait until the ribs and spinal fracture have properly healed.