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SATURDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2021
COVID Latest 71.1% double dosed
■ Some 38,339 vaccine doses were administered on Thursday (Oct. 21) by Victoria’s state-commissioned services. The total number of doses administered through staterun services is 4,350,026. 90.5 per cent of Victorians aged 16 and over have now had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 71.1 per cent have had two doses. There are 784 COVID-19 cases in hospital in Victoria. 145 of those cases are in intensive care, with 94 cases on a ventilator. Of the cases in hospital on Thursday, 88 per cent were not fully vaccinated. Of the cases in intensive care, 94 per cent were not fully vaccinated. The Department of Health was notified of 16 deaths, bringing the total number of deaths in Victoria since the pandemic began to 1,021. They were: ■ A man aged in his 60s ■ Four women in their 70s ■ Three men and four women in their 80s ■ Three women and one man in their 90s Victoria was notified of 2,189 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday. All cases were locally acquired except for one case which was acquired overseas. The 10 Local Government Areas with the highest number of new cases in both Melbourne and regional Victoria are: Casey, Greater Dandenong, Wyndham, Melton, Hume, Whittlesea, Brimbank, Latrobe, Moreland and Darebin. There are 23,230 active cases in Victoria. The total number of confirmed cases in Victoria since the beginning of the pandemic is 75,340. 77,036 COVID-19 tests were processed on Thursday and there are currently more than 72,200 active primary close contacts in isolation in Victoria. New quarantine arrangements have been abbounced for returning international travellers There are currently more than 140,000 first and second dose bookings available in state vaccinations hubs for next week. This includes 51,000 second dose Pfizer appointments. For the past week, Victoria has been administering more vaccine doses than any other state and we are on track to becoming one of the most highly vaccinated jurisdictions in the world. As Victoria moves towards our 80 per cent double-dose target, the Government is continuing its efforts to boost vaccination rates in Local Government Areas with lower coverage by hosting mini pop-up clinics to remove any remaining barriers to vaccine access. As part of this push, 30 vaccination centres across Victoria will open to walk-up Pfizer appointments with no booking required and nine pop-up clinics will launch in partnership with youth mental health organisation, Headspace. - Department of Health and local health professionals
Your Local Paper
■ The ‘hard copy’ version of the weekly Local Paper will return on Wednesday, November 10. Advertising bookings and editorial enquiries will be welcomed at The Local Paper office from Monday (Oct. 25). The digital editions of The Local Paper will be published regularly in the meantime. Secure your free emailed copy by lodging your details at www.FreePaper.com.au - Editor
THANK YOU, VICTORIA
● Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews and wife Cath pictured yesterday ■ Premier Daniel Andrews thanked people tact, will be required to isolate at home just as across Victoria yesterday (Fri.) as lockdown any other case in the community, while unvacrestrictions eased: cinated international travellers will be subject “Thanks to the incredible efforts of millions to mandatory 14-day hotel quarantine unless of Victorians who turned out to get vaccinated they can prove their vaccination status during at lightning speed, Victoria’s lockdown has lifted their quarantine period. and the state can now move to relax quarantine “International travellers in hotel quarantine rules further. as of November 1 who have had their vaccina“As Victoria powers towards its 80 per cent tion status verified on the Australian double-dose vaccination rate, the Chief Health Immunisation Register and who have returned Officer has removed quarantine requirements a negative test will be released regardless of for fully vaccinated international arrivals from whether they have completed 14 days’ quaranNovember 1. tine. “Fully vaccinated international travellers will “From November 1, Victoria will cap the be able to enter Victoria without spending 14 number of unvaccinated or unverified internadays in hotel quarantine as part of the Victorian tional travellers at 250 a week. Government’s Roadmap to Deliver the Na“While Victoria is opening, international artional Plan. rivals will still need to comply with Common“There will no longer be a cap on fully vac- wealth visa requirements that currently restrict cinated returning Australians wishing to enter entry to Australian citizens or residents, unless Victoria, and the opening of our borders to Vic- there is an exemption. torians coming home will reunite families and “As these changes are made, COVID-19 friends and boost our vaccinated economy. Quarantine Victoria will have an ongoing role “International arrivals will need to demon- safeguarding the health of those in quarantine. strate their vaccination status to the Common“This includes international arrivals who wealth with a vaccine approved or recognised don’t meet the new entry criteria, as well as by the Therapeutic GoodsAdministration. TGA frontline workers and the hundreds of other Vicrecognised vaccines are: torians currently in CQV hotels because it’s unPfizer (Comirnaty) AstraZeneca (Vaxzevria) safe for them to quarantine where they live. Moderna (Spikevax) COVID-19 Vaccine “The Commonwealth's new quarantine faJanssen (Johnson and Johnson) Coronavac cility at Mickleham is under construction and is (Sinovac) Covishield (AstraZeneca/Serum In- on track for becoming operational in January to stitute of India) house unvaccinated arrivals, as emergency ac“Arrivals will also be required to test nega- commodation following natural disasters such tive to COVID-19 within 72 hours of their de- as bushfires or for use in future pandemics. parture and will be required to undertake testing “With our first-dose vaccination rate at 90 within 24 hours of arrival into Victoria. per cent and growing every day, these changes “In line with Commonwealth protocols, chil- will help our returning Australians come home dren under 12 arriving with fully vaccinated safely while preserving our health system and parents and people with a valid medical exemp- ensuring Victorians can still get the healthcare tion will be considered fully vaccinated. “Any person who tests positive for COVID- they need when they need it most. ● Turn To Page 3 19 once in Victoria, or their primary close con-
COVID Latest Mitchell Shire rules
■ Victoria has reached the vaccination target of 70 per cent double dose, which means restrictions have eased further. Mitchell Shire residents, along with other regional Victorian residents, are currently under the following restrictions: Social and recreational ■ 10 people including dependents can visit your home per day (vaccination strongly recommended) ■ 20 people can gather outdoors, including dependents. ■ Community sport returns indoors for minimum number required ■ Pubs, clubs and entertainment venues are open indoors to 30 fully vaccinated people Education All school students return onsite full time Work The Authorised Worker no longer applies, meaning most businesses and venues can reopen with capacity and density limits The rule ‘if you can work from home, you should work from home’ will still apply, but office workers will be able to return up to 25 per cent or up to 10 people, whichever is greater. Masks must be worn indoors in workplaces Religious Funerals and weddings are allowed for 30 fully vaccinated people indoors, and 100 fully vaccinated outdoors Beauty Masks can be removed by the client if the service requires it Travel to Metro Melbourne You must not travel to metropolitan Melbourne other than for permitted reasons. These include: ■ for authorised work or permitted education ■ to visit an intimate partner ■ for care and compassionate reasons, including permitted child minding ■ to access necessary goods and services provided they are from the facility that is closest to where you live ■ other limited reasons such as moving house Council services A number of Council services have returned to face-to-face delivery, with COVIDsafe protocols in place. There are still some restrictions in place that prevent all services from returning, but continue to check the Council Services page for the latest updates. - Mitchell Shire Council
Latest figures
■ As at Thursday (Oct. 21), latest Mitchell Shire figures said 183 new COVID-19 cases were recorded in the previous 24 hours. There were 126 active cases overall This included: ■ 4 new, 75 active: Wallan area (postcode 3756) ■ 2 new, 4 active: Broadford area (658) ■ 7 new, 27 active: Beveridge area (3753) ■ 1 new, 8 active: Kilmore area (3764) ■ 1 new, 3 active: Seymour area (3660) ■ 4 new, 5 active: Wandong Heathcote Junction area (3758) ■ 0 new, 2 active: Puckapunyal area (3662) ■ 0 new, 1 active: Tooborac area (522) ■ 0 new, 1 active: Tallarook area (postcode 3659) There were no current cases in the Pyalong area (postcode 3521); Bylands area (postcode 3762). - Mitchell Shire Council