Premier confirms ‘fundamental change’ coming to Covid rules

Daniel Andrews says Victoria would be fast-tracked back to more normal living conditions as the state races towards key vaccination targets.In a press conference on Sunday morning, the Premier said Victoria would reach the 80 per cent vaccination rate a week early – on Friday, October 29 – meaning the state would move to new settings on Friday.Victoria’s Covid ruleHe said the state would be at the 90 per cent vaccination rate as early as November 24.Because of this, Mr Andrews said there would be a “fundamental change to rules”.“There will be a fundamental change, a massive change in many respects, to the rules that we have all been living under,” he said.When the state reached 90 per cent, Mr Andrews said “there will be no (capacity) caps anywhere”.“There will be no density limits anywhere,” he confirmed.“Masks will only be required in high risk indoor settings, such as public transport, prisons, hospitals, and aged care.“We will retain the vaccinated economy, all those requirements, all those settings, where you can only get in if you are double vaccinated.”Victorians could be free to travel interstate and to regional Victoria as soon as Friday.Victoria was originally slated to reach the 80 per cent target by November 5.From 6pm on Friday, both metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria will follow the same restrictions, meaning double vaccination requirements will be in place across the entire state. When the state hits 90 per cent, businesses will no longer be required to follow strict density limits, with caps expected to be scrapped entirely.Mr Andrews said double dose mandates would stay well into 2022.“That vaccinated economy is here to stay,” Mr Andrews said.More to come.Victoria has recorded 1935 new Covid cases and a further 11 deaths, taking the number of active cases to 24,993.It follows 69,624 tests in the past 24 hours.There are 146 people in intensive care, with 93 on ventilators.Seventy-three per cent of Victorians are now fully vaccinated.Premier Daniel Andrews will deliver the daily Covid update at 11.15am.Farmers are preparing for a tough summer with fears rising costs linked to the pandemic will leave many struggling to keep their businesses open.The Victorian Farmers Federation says more certainty is needed over how farmers and their supply chains can operate under Covid-normal conditions. Good rainfall has led to bumper crops for the second year in a row – and while the planned return of skilled overseas workers has been welcomed, new issues have popped up. Victorian Farmers Federation president Emma Germano said there was “no clear guidance” on how the farming industry should deal with workplaces becoming coronavirus exposure sites. She said one link in the supply chain, such as an abattoir or packing shed, being deemed an exposure site could make supplying food “difficult”.National – 2021 – Covid Vaccination StatsShe called for a rethink of quarantine rules, similar to concessions provided to supermarket staff.“The one thing we don’t want to do is say there will be food shortages … but the problem is that if we wait until we see shortages, agriculture doesn’t just turn on a dime,” Ms Germano said. “By the time that happens, you’ve got months before you can correct that.”Lilliput Ag director Andrew Russell, whose crops include canola and fava beans, said he couldn’t remember two such strong crops happening “in the last 25 years” and believed supply chain uncertainty was a “major concern”. “This is the most important time of year for us and for us to be shut down, effectively, as an operation – the risk that poses to us is enormous,” Mr Russell said. THOUSANDS FLOCK TO PENINSULAMelburnians were out and about on Saturday with thousands flocking to the Mornington Peninsula on the first weekend out of lockdown in nearly three months. It was a drizzly morning with the mercury only topping out in the mid-teens but that didn’t dampen spirits as eager day-trippers made a beeline for Sorrento.Bumper to bumper traffic clogged Point Nepean Rd after the travel limit imposed on the city was extended to all of Greater Melbourne which includes the peninsula. Cafes opened for indoor dining while small retailers traded on the footpath, welcoming visitors with open arms after a “tough few months”.Julie Lochran manages fashion retailer Blue Illusion and said it was great to be back in business.“Everyone’s done it really tough, we’re all really loyal staff members and we just want to get back to doing what we love,” she said. “The vibe down here is really good. It’s a great place to come down and support businesses and we just want to welcome everybody back. “It’s just a shame the weather is the way it is but yesterday (Friday) was mad.”Groups of pubgoers took to the Ocean Beach Pavilion for seated drinks and food with a mix of locals and out-of-towners filling up the venue’s capacity limit. “It feels really positive to be back and this weekend we’ve been pretty steady with bookings,” manager Dilian Jay said. “The customers are happy … It’s good to be back on track.”Mr Jay said he wasn’t worried about the risk of Melburnians spreading Covid to the beachside town because of the area’s high vaccination rate. The Mornington Peninsula has a first dose rate of nearly 95 per cent with three in four residents aged 16 years and older fully vaccinated. Young family Katherine Kok, Danny Graham and one-year-old daughter Amelia, enjoyed a lunch at the pavilion after making the trip down from Mount Eliza. “We’ve been trying to help out small businesses … It’s great to be able to go out and support the hospitality industry in particular which has been doing it so tough these last couple of years,” Mr Graham said. “You’ve got to get out when you can especially with kids and teach them not to be afraid of a little weather,” Ms Kok added.Vic Locally-acquired Covid-19BOOSTER SHOTS FOR EVERYONE FROM NEXT WEEKHealth Minister Greg Hunt says Australia could ­become the first country after Israel to start rolling out ­booster shots across the whole population — from as early as the end of next week.The news comes as Pfizer announced results of the first trials of third-shot doses increased the protection by more than 95.6 per cent, compared to people who had received only two shots.The massive ­increase in the level of protection offered makes it highly likely a third dose will become the standard for Pfizer vaccinations across the world.Mr Hunt said he expected the TGA to move quickly on ­approval.“By the end of the week hopefully we’ll be in a position to start,” he said. “We’ve got all the vaccines we need.”Read the full article here.PROBE INTO ALLEGED FAKE VAX CERTIFICATESHealth authorities are probing a medical clinic in Melbourne’s west after doctors allegedly falsified Covid vaccine passports and granted invalid exemptions.The Health Department confirmed it was aware of allegations against the Maidstone clinic with the matter referred to the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).A concerned neighbour who did not want to be named said “hundreds” of people had lined up outside the centre in the early hours of the morning until late at night in recent weeks.Read the full article here.PROTESTS FAIL TO DRAW CROWD Dozens of maskless protesters took to the streets of St Kilda on Saturday afternoon to protest the state’s vaccine mandates.Demonstrators marched down Acland Street and could be seen holding signs which said “pro choice”, while one man wore a T-shirt which said “I do not consent!”The protesters sat on blankets on the footpaths outside of the street’s pubs and restaurants as Victoria Police personnel watched on.Read the full article here.