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Highlights
- Melbourne lockdown has been extended by another three weeks.
- The government is shifting its focus on fast-tracking vaccination rather than zero-COVID19 plan.
- The state reported 120 cases yesterday.
The Victorian state government on Wednesday announced that it has extended the COVID-19 lockdown in its capital Melbourne for another three weeks. The move comes in the wake of a shift in the government’s approach as it turns its focus to rapid vaccination, rather than stressing on the strategy of suppressing the cases down to zero.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews talked about a partial easing of the restrictions once 70% of the state's adult residents receive at least one dose. The state expects to touch the mark by at least 23 September.
Until then the government has enlisted only five reasons to leave home for the people: shopping for food and supplies, authorised work and study, care and caregiving, exercise, and getting vaccinated.
For exercise and shopping, people of the city can’t go beyond 5-kilometre radius of their home.
Once the restrictions are eased post 70% vaccination, the radius would increase to 10 kilometres. “At that point, the 5km radius will expand to 10km – so exercise and shopping can take place up to 10km from your home. If there’s no shops in your 10km radius, you’ll be able to travel to the ones closest to you.”
“Other restrictions – including mask wearing – will stay the same,” Mr Andrews said.
The city has been in a state of lockdown for nearly a month, yet it has failed to quell the outbreak. The current lockdown order was due to end on Thursday.
New local cases jumped to 120 in Victoria from 76 a day earlier. Of the new cases, 100 patients have spent time in the community while being infectious – which might increase the risk of transmission.
In the worst-hit state of New South Wales, the provincial government has doubled down on vaccination, bringing forward its target date to fully vaccinate 70% of people above 16 to the middle of next month from the initial target of the end of October.
