The Premier confirmed in a statement on Wednesday night that the declaration was made following advice from the state’s acting chief health officer. The new extension will expire at 11.59pm on July 12 and subsequent extensions can last for up to three months.Mr Andrews said he was satisfied on “reasonable grounds” there remains a serious risk to public health throughout Victoria due to Covid, including recent increases in case numbers and the anticipated Omicron BA. 2 wave.Mr Andrews said the risk required continued public health and other protective measures to reduce the risk of transmission and hospitalisation.”This extension enables us to keep modest and sensible settings in place to reduce transmission and hospitalisation – that means more support for health workers and limiting its impact on our community,” he said.”“We don’t want rules on any longer than they need to be – we’ll continue to follow the advice to protect what we’ve built while protecting our community.”Covid cases tipped to peak this monthHealth Minister Martin Foley says he expects Victoria’s pandemic declaration to be extended past next week, with a new wave of Covid cases and hospitalisation tipped to peak this month.Victoria’s current pandemic order will expire by April 12 and the declaration allows the government to enforce restrictions, mandates and other public health measures related to the virus.When asked if the state would maintain its current rules, Mr Foley said he was expecting a continuation.“We’ll get the public health advice but there’s every expectation that that advice will see the pandemic orders extended,” he said.“Having said that, compared to certainly where we were in 2020, 2021 or indeed early 2022 the number of restrictions are very minimal.“That’s always the goal, to have the absolute smallest footprint of restrictions that we possibly can have.Covid/cold/flu symptoms“We will not have it (pandemic orders) for a moment longer than is absolutely necessary.”Mr Foley said there were forecasts for a surge in Covid cases and hospitalisation this month but they expected to peak below levels seen at the start of the year.He said there were also expectations of a “long tail” in which cases fell slower than normal.“As we see higher levels of infectivity grow across the community, as movements happen around the community (and) as there’s more indoor activity as the weather gets colder, you would expect that to start to be reflected in chains of transmission,” he said.More RATs for schoolsAn additional 16 million rapid tests will be delivered to schools and kindergartens ahead of term two.The supply boost is set to provide schools and early childhood centres with enough tests for the first four weeks of the term when students return on April 26.School children and staff will still be required to test at home twice a week, while students and workers at specialist schools should still test five times per week.Education Minister James Merlino said the rapid tests have prevented thousands of cases in Victorian schools and childcare centres.Data from the Department of Health estimates home testing has prevented 113,500 from breaking out in schools.“We know surveillance testing has prevented tens of thousands of kids getting sick and having their schools shut, and we thank the many Victorian families who have opted into voluntary testing,” he said.With school holidays to begin on Friday, another 60,000 air purifiers will be delivered to classrooms around the state ahead of students’ return to the classroom.51,000 purifiers have been delivered so far.Early childhood Minister Ingrid Stitt said: “Early childhood services are critical in our kids’ early development. We’ll continue to support them with strong Covid safe measures to keep children and staff as safe as possible.”
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