In home care, like babysitters, will be allowed from 11.59pm tomorrow for school-aged children, but only if both parents are authorised workers.
“That’s as far as we can go in terms of changes effective from midnight tomorrow night. Everything else has to stay in place until on or about the 23rd of September when we get first dose 70 per cent across our state,” Mr Andrews said.
Other restrictions to be eased after the target is reached includes the reopening of communal gym equipment and skate parks, the return of outdoor personal training and private inspections of properties for a new purchase or an end of a lease.
Mr Andrews has also advised that children will not return to classrooms in Term 3 in metropolitan Melbourne and more would be announced on what would take place in Term 4 next week.
He said the situation on schools in regional Victoria would be announced next week.
The state’s first priority was to give Year 12 students at least one dose of the Pfizer vaccine as soon as possible and from September 7, schools would reach out to students with a “detailed plan” of how they would be vaccinated at state hubs with priority access.
“We are very confident that we will be able to get all of our Year 12 students vaccinated at least one dose by October 5,” Mr Andrews said.
Mr Andrews confirmed the general achievement test (GAT) had been rescheduled for October 5.
Of today’s cases, 64 have been linked to known cases and outbreaks, while the state’s total number of active cases has reached 900.
The announcements come after a meeting of senior ministers last night about the new plan and specific targets to trigger the staged relaxation of restrictions.
Mr Andrews said it was hoped lockdown in regional Victoria – excluding the Shepparton area – would be able to end from next week.
“Exactly when, we will confirm as soon as we can,” he said. “But there will be an opening up.”
Shepparton would need to be “treated differently” to the rest of regional Victoria for some time, Mr Andrews added.
All Victorians have been urged to fill the available AstraZeneca vaccine appointments, as a shortage of Pfizer is expected in the coming months.
“It is a long time…
Read More: Lockdown extended until Victoria reaches 70 per cent first vaccine target