Victoria records one new local case of COVID-19 as restrictions ease - The Age

Victoria recorded one new local case of coronavirus on Friday after Melburnians woke up to eased restrictions on travel and outdoor mask-wearing.

The new locally acquired case is a primary close contact of an existing case.

More than 35,000 tests were received and 16,710 vaccine doses were administered in the past 24 hours.

Restrictions eased at 11:59pm on Thursday night, with the 25-kilometre travel bubble ending, and gyms and theatres reopening in Melbourne.

Masks no longer have to be worn outdoors. They must still be carried and are required indoors, on public transport, and in ride-share vehicles.

Melburnians can now have up to two people in their homes per day plus dependents, with public gatherings of up to 20 people now possible. Regional Victorians are able to have five people in their homes per day, not including dependents.

Metro visitors to Victoria’s alpine resorts must have evidence of a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours of departing the city to enter the ski fields. Children under two are not included.

However, despite the divide between metropolitan and regional Victoria, emergency services are warning Melburnians not to enter closed parks and forests that could be storm damaged.

A spokeswoman for the State Control Centre urged travellers not to enter flood and storm-affected areas this weekend, with many roads still closed as emergency services try to remove massive fallen trees and fix damaged electricity infrastructure.

Victoria State Emergency Service Deputy Chief Officer Alistair Drayton told those moving around the state this weekend to “be aware of your environment” and check the Parks Victoria website for closures.

“There is another weather front coming across,” he told Today on Friday morning.

“It’s certainly going to be nowhere near as dangerous as last week, but nonetheless there is danger in some of those environments at the moment.”

Meanwhile, Health Minister Greg Hunt has backed the decision to raise the recommended age for the AstraZeneca vaccine from 50 to 60.

“It was a difficult decision, but it was the right decision,” Mr Hunt said on the Today show on Friday.

Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly said when it comes to regularly changing COVID-19 vaccine directions, “we get these knocks and we carry on”.

“The important thing is we’re following that medical advice to the letter, and sharing it with the Australian public immediately when we get it,” he told 3AW Breakfast.

“One thing that is certain is that older Australians are at much higher risk of getting severe COVID, and to them, we really say: keep going, get that jab.”

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Victoria records one new local case of COVID-19 as restrictions ease - The Age
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