Victoria's COVID-19 restrictions to ease further

With hospitalisation numbers and community transmission decreasing and more than half of Victorians aged over 16 now vaccinated with three doses, a number of restrictions can be eased, Premier Daniel Andrews announced today.

From 6pm Friday, February 18 density limits in hospitality and entertainment venues will be removed, indoor dancefloors can reopen and QR code check-ins will be scrapped in retail stores, schools and for employees at many workplaces.

QR code check-in and vaccination check requirements will remain in hospitality and entertainment venues.

Surveillance testing in key industries including meat processing will become recommended-only and hospital worker 'bubbles' will also be removed.

International arrivals will no longer have to have a permit and quarantine for international visitors and aircrew who aren't fully vaccinated or medically exempt will reduce to seven days.

"We always said these measures wouldn't be in place for a minute longer than they are needed, and with hospitalisation numbers decreasing and less pressure on our health system, now is a sensible time to make changes," Premier Andrews said.

"We're grateful to everyone who has been doing the right thing, helping to reduce the impact of this virus on the community, our healthcare system and our economy."

Health Minister Martin Foley said changes to office-based settings and mask-wearing will be considered from next week.

"These are safe and sensible measures which balance the need to support our health system with the benefits of easing restrictions across a range of settings," Mr Foley said.

"Changes to QR code requirements will still support our focus on the highest-risk settings most likely to generate super-spreader events - and we will keep reviewing the system over time in line with the epidemiological situation."

COVID measures will be extended in schools and early childhood settings until the end of Term 1.

Initially set to run for the first four weeks of Term 1, the measures - including rapid antigen surveillance testing - will continue until the end of term, and the state government will more than double the number of air purifiers in schools.

An extra 24 million RATs will be delivered to continue the surveillance testing program until the end of Term 1.

The school surveillance testing program has been extremely effective at reducing transmission in schools, Education Minister James Merlino said - with Burnet Institute modelling estimating that, assuming a 75 per cent compliance rate with screening of students, the program has prevented more than 21,000 COVID-19 infections.

Continuing the RAT surveillance for the full 10 weeks of Term 1 is expected to prevent more than 61,000 COVID-19 infections in children aged 5 to 17, more than 150,000 COVID-19 infections in the community (on average 2100 less infections per day), and around 400 hospital admissions.

The testing settings will remain the same, with all primary and secondary school students and staff, and early childhood education and care staff and children aged 3 to 5, recommended to test at home twice a week, while students and staff at specialist schools are recommended to test five days a week.

A further 60,000 air purifiers will be delivered ahead of winter, by June 1.

Parents and carers are urged to continue booking children aged 5 to 11 in for their first and second vaccine doses, and staff and students aged 16 to 17 reminded to get their third dose as soon as possible.

School and early childhood staff must receive a third dose of a COVID-19 vaccine by February 25 to continue working in education settings, unless they have a valid exemption. For staff who became fully vaccinated after October 25 2021, this deadline is March 15, unless they have a valid exemption.

More to come.

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