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- New South Wales has announced reopening plans, with lockdown rules in the state set to ease from October 11 for the vaccinated
- Victoria could enjoy some more freedoms from as early as tomorrow with the state close to reaching its 80 per cent first-dose vaccination target today
- Queensland records four new locally acquired cases in the past 24 hours
- The four cases include a Brisbane couple, a truck driver and a person who tested positive following 14 days of hotel quarantine
New South Wales
New South Wales has announced plans on it reopening, with lockdown rules in the state set to ease from October 11.
The country’s most populous state will lift its restrictions gradually from October 11 to December 1, depending on double-dose vaccination rates.
However these rules do not apply for the unvaccinated. Therefore those people will not be included in joining in community sports, dining out, shopping and other activities until a final date.
“Unlike most cases in the world, if you are not vaccinated you will have to wait at least four or five weeks … in order to participate in things that the rest of us can participate in,” NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said.
“If you want to be able to have a meal with friends and welcome people in your home, you have to get vaccinated.”
There are no details on how the state is going to block the unvaccinated from the vaccinated.
Today, NSW recorded 863 new cases of COVID-19 and seven new deaths in the past 24 hours.
The state hit a full vaccination rate of 60.4 per cent, just 10 per cent away from its “Freedom Day” on October 11.
Victoria
Victorians could enjoy some more freedoms from as early as tomorrow with the state close to reaching its 80 per cent first-dose vaccination target today.
These restrictions could include Melbourne residents being able to shop and exercise further away from their homes, with outdoor exercises such as golf, tennis and boating to reopen, Premier Dan Andrews said.
“(Eighty per cent single dose) is a very important threshold, and of course I think that our double dose numbers will go beyond the 80 per cent mark which is very good,” Mr Andrews said.
Today, Victoria recorded 867 new cases and four further deaths. Of these, 149 were not previously reported due to a technical error.
Unlike his New South Wales counterpart, Mr Andrews has not revealed whether or not unvaccinated people will be able to participate in public events or go to restaurants and cafes in the future.
“I’m not going to say to people, “just wait five weeks and you’ll be able to have all the freedoms” – no, that’s not a guarantee,” Mr Andrews said.
Queensland
Queensland has recorded four new locally acquired cases in the past 24 hours.
The four cases include a man from Eaton Hills in Brisbane, who is a mystery case, as well as his wife.
A truck driver who stayed in shared accommodation has also tested positive and was infectious in the community for a week.
And the fourth case tested positive after 14 days of hotel quarantine.
The Eaton Hills man works in the aviation industry and was infectious in the community for three days.
“He was double-dose vaccinated but only had that second dose about a week ago,” Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said.
There is more concern surrounding the truck driver, which police are currently in talks with to get more information.
Over the past 24 hours, there have been 9328 tests, 18,482 vaccines administered at state-run clinics yesterday.
Just over 64 per cent of eligible Queenslanders have received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, with 45.1 per cent having had two doses.
Ms Palaszczuk told Queenslanders there was “no need to panic” and said there would be changes with masks and restrictions on aged care facilities.
Further details on the restrictions will be released later today but one restriction does include wearing masks indoors if you live in Brisbane area and the Moreton Bay region.
“We’ve been here before – I know south-east Queenslanders will rise to this challenge once again,” Ms Palaszczuk said.
