Victoria has run out of the Pfizer jab, causing health officials to beg for vaccine donations from other states amid its lockdown.
Three new Covid cases were recorded overnight, bringing Victoria’s outbreak of the double mutant Indian variant to 63.
Professor Alan Chung told reporters on Thursday that ‘there is no Pfizer left’ amid the Federal Government’s already-bungled vaccine rollout.
‘We are still vaccinating at the moment. In times of forward bookings, there is a shortage, but I am not sure exactly when that supply will become available,’ he said.
‘We are trying to do the best we can with the supply we have. We would always welcome any state that wanted to give their vaccine to us, but that is a national matter.
‘There is a small stockpile and we are using those at the moment. I could not give you the exact figures, but clearly there has been a surge in demand for vaccines and there is not the supply to be able to meet that at the moment.’
Prof Chang said there needs to be a balance between getting special groups vaccinated first and then ‘just trying to get as many eligible people vaccinated in as possible’.
Commuters have been placed on high alert after six busy Melbourne bus routes were added to Victoria’s growing exposure site list (stock of a Melbourne bus)
Meanwhile, regional Victoria will emerge from lockdown as the state records three new COVID-19 cases.
Residents outside of metropolitan Melbourne will be able to leave home for any reason after 11.59pm on Thursday, Acting Premier James Merlino has confirmed.
Under eased restrictions for regional Victoria, there will be no limit on how far people can travel and outdoor gatherings of up to 10 will be allowed.
Mask will remain compulsory indoors and outdoors when social distancing isn’t possible.
Schools, retail and hospitality will also be able to reopen.
Last year’s so-called ‘ring of steel’ to enforce the differing restrictions between Melbourne and regional Victoria isn’t coming back, with roving police patrols to be used instead.
Regional businesses will have to check the IDs of customers to ensure they aren’t from Melbourne.
Melbourne commuters have been urged to be on high alert after six busy bus routes in Melbourne were added to the state’s ballooning exposure sites list which now sits at 370 venues.
The Victorian Health Department issued a Tier 1 warning for anyone who travelled on six 357 bus routes across the city’s north, meaning those passengers must quarantine for 14 days and get tested immediately.
A positive case travelled on the 357 bus on May 24 from Epping station/Cooper Street to Liquorland/Harvest Home Rd between 4.44pm-5.17pm.
Two buses were exposed on May 25, a route from Gammage Blvd/Edgars Rd to Epping station/Cooper Street between 8.46am-9.11am and from Epping station to Coles/Harvest Home Rd between 9.22am-9.46am.
Another two routes were affected on May 26, including the Gammage Blvd/Edgars Rd to Epping Station/Cooper Street between 8.46am-9.11am and Epping station to Gammage Blvd/Edgars Rd route between 9.22pm-9.46pm.
On May 28, the 357 bus from Gammage Blvd/Edgars Rd to Memorial Ave/High Street route was exposed between 3.08pm-3.18pm.
Meanwhile, a Tier 1 warning is also in place for a scouts hall, a swimming school a popular supermarket.
It applies to Joeys Scouts Carlton on May 26 between 6pm-7.30pm, Elite Swimming Ascot Vale on May 25 between 5.15pm and 6pm and anyone who visited Dockland Coles, on Spencer Street, on May 30 between 12.00pm-1.00pm.
A woman in a mask waits for public transport near to Metro tunnel works on Flinders Street
The same health advice applies to anyone who visited Costco Wholesale Docklands on May 31 between 3.30pm – 4.20pm or the Anglesea Golf Club bistro on May 25 between 6.00pm – 7.30pm.
Two supermarkets have also been placed on the list under a Tier 2 warning, meaning anyone who visited the site should get tested immediately and isolate until receiving a negative result.
Coles Epping, in Aurora Village, is was exposed on May 25 between 9.05pm- 10.00pm as was IGA Anglesea on the same day between 10.30am-11.15am and on May 27 between 10.15am – 11.00am.
In Anglesea, the same advice applies to anyone who visited the local Transfer Station, on Coalmine Rd, on May 25 between 9.20am- 9.35am or Oaks Bakery on May 27 between 10.30am-11.00am.
Costco Docklands (pictured) has been listed as an exposure site on May 31 between 3.30pm-4.20pm
Other new Tier 2 sites include the Faculty of Music, in Brunswick, on May 27 between 4.00pm-5.30pm, Flagstaff Gardens, West Melbourne, on May 28 between 2.30pm- 4.30pm and Williamstown Post Office on May 28 between 3.20pm-4.10pm.
The alerts comes after Acting Premier James Merlino announced on Wednesday Greater Melbourne will remain in lockdown for another week until 11.59pm on June 10.
Meanwhile, restrictions will ease in regional Victoria from midnight Thursday if the concerning cluster continues to be confined to the city.
Victoria had another record day of testing, with 57,519 in the 24 hours to midnight on Wednesday.
If regional areas come out of lockdown, it would mean the removal of the five reasons to leave home, retail businesses reopening, and hospitality venues operating as seated service only.
The so-called ‘ring of steel’, used last year to enforce the regional divide, will be replaced by roving police patrols.
The alert comes as authorities announced Melbourne’s lockdown will be extended until June 10. Pictured: Two woman are seen exercising in Melbourne on Wednesday
Instead, the onus will be on regional businesses checking the IDs of customers, while Service Victoria QR code check-ins will become mandatory statewide in retail settings such as supermarkets.
COVID-19 has been detected in wastewater at Bendigo and Axedale, and there are exposure sites at Anglesea, Axedale, Glenrowan, Kalkallo, Wallan and Rye.
The Victorian Department of Health is urging residents to regularly monitor the exposure site list for updates.
Anyone who has visited a Tier 1 exposure site must immediately isolate, get a Covid test and quarantine for 14 days.
Anyone who has visited a Tier 2 exposure site during times listed should urgently get a test and isolate until they receive a negative result.
Anyone who has visited a Tier 3 exposure site during times listed should monitor for symptoms – if symptoms develop, immediately get tested and isolate until you receive a negative result.