Draconian measures covering the entire southeast Australian state will only start to be eased once 70% of the population receives at least one dose of the Covid vaccine, Premier Dan Andrews decreed on Wednesday. The government said it hoped to reach this target on or around September 23.
In a written statement, Andrews claimed that lifting restrictions would “overrun” the state’s healthcare system. With a population of around 6.6 million, Victoria currently has less than 60 Covid hospitalizations.
On the advice of the Chief Health Officer, Victoria's lockdown will be extended to slow the spread and keep Victorians safe.
Due to the level of community transmission and number of unlinked cases, almost all restrictions will remain in place. pic.twitter.com/Gr3IG7N4b5
— Dan Andrews (@DanielAndrewsMP) September 1, 2021
