Dan Andrews’ plans to force all schoolkids to be vaccinated have been leaked as Victoria records 750 new cases of coronavirus and one death on Monday.
A return to golf is on the cards as Victoria nears COVID vaccination targets, while the government flags trials to test vaccinated-only events.
Golfers itching to get back into the swing of things can expect to be on the fairway in days as Victorian vaccination numbers continue to rise.
Restrictions, including a return to golf and tennis, will ease slightly across the state on Wednesday, with Victoria expected to pass 80 per cent single dose vaccination coverage on Tuesday.
The next round of eased restrictions will focus on the return of Victorian students to onsite learning, a date earmarked for October 6.
Leaked planning documents from the Department of Education obtained by the Herald Sun have revealed the tough rules school children may expect next month.
Face masks and restrictions on household numbers are predicted to stay in Victoria even at an 80 per cent full vaccination rate (pictured, two women walking in St Kilda in Melbourne)
Leaked planning documents from the Department of Education have revealed the tough rules that will be imposed on school children as they return to classrooms (pictured, Bentleigh Secondary College students in Melbourne in July)
Premier Daniel Andrews said while the changes were ‘modest’, the state is getting closer to the end of lockdown.
Residents of locked down areas will be able to travel 15km from home, up from 10, while patron caps in regional venues will increase from 20 to 30.
There was also good news for the city of Geelong, which will be released from lockdown at midnight, despite the diagnosis of six new cases on Saturday. All cases were linked.
One of the considerations under the new schooling frameworks – which are not yet finalised or confirmed – is scrapping excursions, camps, assemblies and performances.
Indoor sporting classes and outdoor contact sports would also be off the cards for students, who will be advised not to gather in large groups on school grounds.
The plans state that parents would not be permitted to mingle outside school gates.
The leaked documents indicate the harsh measures could continue for a considerable portion of next year, with a possible vaccination mandate for students.
All Victorian students aged over 12 could be required to have one dose of a vaccine ‘to attend school by 2022’ while those in Year 11 and 12 will need two.
There have also been discussions around primary aged children being vaccinated, if the Therapeutics Goods Administration gives the green light.
Sources from inside the Department of Education told the Herald Sun that a tracking system had been suggested to give information on a student’s vaccination status.
However, the state government has reiterated that mandatory vaccinations for school children are still not being considered.
From Tuesday, Victorians can enjoy ‘contactless’ sports like boating, tennis and golf (pictured, people exercising in Melbourne last week)
A series of ‘vaccinated economy’ trials were also announced on Sunday, to begin across some regional Victorian businesses from October 11.
Select businesses in Buloke, Pyrenees, Bass Coast, Bendigo, East Gippsland and Warrnambool will test systems in the fortnight before Victoria is due to hit the 70 per cent double dose vaccination mark.
The 20 trial sites will be selected based on vaccination rates and case numbers.
Among the issues to be explored during the trials are vaccine status verification and how to help businesses safely deal with aggressive customers who are denied service.
V/Line train services return to a full timetable for all services on all lines on Monday after a COVID-19 outbreak that limited services and saw buses replace trains on some lines.
Another 779 new locally acquired COVID-19 infections and two further deaths were reported on Sunday. The state is now host to more than 8000 active cases.
More than 77 per cent of Victorians aged 16 and over have now had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, while more than 47 per cent have had two doses.