Victoria to scrap almost all Covid restrictions as it nears 90% target

Victoria will scrap almost all remaining Covid-19 public health restrictions from midnight as it races towards 90 per cent double-dosed vaccination.

From Friday, fully vaccinated Victorians will be able to dance in clubs, there will be no home visitor limits and no density limits for cafes and restaurants.

"Because 90 per cent of Victorians have gone and gotten vaccinated, so many of these rules, almost all of them can fall away," Premier Daniel Andrews told reporters on Thursday.

Daniel Andrews announced the midnight changes on Thursday. Source: ABC News/YouTube
Daniel Andrews announced the midnight changes on Thursday. Source: ABC News/YouTube

Masks will remain for a few more weeks in retail, for hospitality workers, on public transport and for primary school staff, visitors and students in years three to six.

Victoria is expected to hit 90 per cent double-dosed vaccination for the population aged 12 and over this weekend.

'No more rules': Life is heading 'back to normal', premier says

The Victorian capital has been the most locked down city in the world during the pandemic, but life is heading back to normal, Mr Andrews told the public this morning.

"There are no more rules in terms of how many people can be in different spaces," the premier said.

"As it is for your home: back to normal. The number of people in a pub or cafe or restaurant: back to normal – there will not be Covid rules that determine how many people are at the pub, it will be the liquor license," he said.

"You can stand up to have a drink, dance floors will open again, all of those things that we have missed."

It comes as the state recorded 1007 new Covid-19 cases and 12 deaths on Thursday.

The state is now managing 13,814 active coronavirus infections.

It is the first time in five days that the state's daily tally has risen above 1000 cases.

There are 337 virus patients in hospital, with 63 actively infected with Covid-19 in ICU, 65 have been cleared, and 34 on ventilators.

The seven-day hospital average now sits at 384.

Health officials say virus testers processed 72,270 results on Wednesday and 6315 people were vaccinated at state-run hubs.

Victoria is now 88 per cent double-vaccinated in those aged over 12.

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