
Rush for hair, restaurant bookings in Vic as the state opens five days early.
Phones will be running hot for hairdressers, pubs and restaurants as fully vaccinated Victorians race for a taste of freedom.
They're back on the menu as of Friday after the state government announced it would end lockdown five days earlier than previously planned thanks to hitting its 70 per cent double-dosed vaccination target more quickly than expected.
News of the fast-tracked relaxation came after Victoria recorded 1838 COVID-19 cases and seven deaths on Sunday.
Bring forward the haircut and tell Mum you'll be round for dinner.
— Dan Andrews (@DanielAndrewsMP) October 17, 2021
Lockdown will end at 11.59pm on Thursday.
5 million Victorians have had a first dose, and we're well ahead of where we thought we'd be - meaning we can make the changes we promised in the Roadmap, and go further pic.twitter.com/17qohsFX6A
From 11.59pm on Thursday, all restrictions for leaving home will be abolished, alongside the state's controversial curfew.
Changes will also be made to isolation orders, with fully vaccinated people who are identified as a primary close contact of a confirmed case they don't live with having to quarantine for seven days rather than 14.
Victorian Health Minister Martin Foley said the "safe and sensible" changes to isolation were "because of Victoria's outstanding work in getting vaccinated".
Up to 10 visitors will be allowed in a home per day, but retail and gyms in metropolitan Melbourne will remain closed.
Restrictions will ease further when 80 per cent of the eligible population has received both vaccine doses, originally projected to be November 5.
NSW no longer a Commonwealth hotspot as 80 per cent freedoms kick in and school restarts.
NSW's coronavirus Commonwealth hotspot status has been dropped after the state reached an 80 per cent double-dose vaccination rate, Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly has confirmed.
Under the national plan agreed by all premiers and chief ministers, the hotspot declaration automatically ceases within a particular state or territory once the 80 per cent fully vaccinated rate has been reached.
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