Thursday, 16 September 2021

Ministers statements: COVID-19 vaccinations

Mr ANDREWS (Mulgrave—Premier) (14:38): I am pleased to rise to update the house on the fact that not only have we exceeded our target of 1 million jabs over five weeks but we will today—perhaps this evening or at the latest, I think, early tomorrow—reach the 70 per cent single-dose mark. That is a tribute to every single Victorian who has booked an appointment and who has come along and helped all their fellow Victorians—helped all of us—in our race to 80 per cent double dosed, as outlined in the national plan. Because we have reached that milestone of 70 per cent single dose—and there is significant protection that comes from even a single dose of these vaccines, no matter which one you have administered to you—the chief health officer has been able to provide advice to the government, and the government has accepted that advice, to ease modestly in metropolitan Melbourne and for further easing, again of a modest nature, in regional Victoria.

Essentially, because of the amazing efforts of all of those who are running our 55 state hubs, our GPs and our pharmacists, and because of the amazing efforts of people to go and get vaccinated, we are able to, for instance, increase the distance you can travel from home from 5 to 10 kilometres and the time you can spend out of your home from 2 hours to 4 hours. The sixth reason to leave your home is for outdoor recreational activity, outdoor socialisation activity, where you can connect with those that you have missed the most—five fully vaccinated adults and dependents from a maximum of two homes. If you are not vaccinated, then it can be one other person. That is a smaller group; that is again a statement of the protection that is given by being double-dose vaccinated.

On Sunday we will have more to say about a road map. All of it will be consistent with the national plan. Getting vaccinated fast—acting and being part of that race to 80 per cent—will mean we have more options. I thank everyone who has been vaccinated, and I commend everyone who has not to book an appointment today.