Victoria zeroes in on last step out of lockdown
Victoria has again recorded no new cases of coronavirus, for the 13th day in a row.
There are three active cases and there were more than 20,000 tests processed in the last day, Health Minister Martin Foley has told reporters outside Parliament.
"This extraordinary figure of over 20,000 shows Victorians want to stay safe and stay open by coming forward in such extraordinary numbers even with the slightest of symptoms. I would urge all Victorians to continue to do so." Mr Foley said.
"I want to thank all of those Victorians who have come forward to be tested because it continues to give us the certainty and the confidence that we know the movements of the virus," he said.
Mr Foley said there were still two Victorians in hospital but neither was in intensive care.
According to the government's road map out of lockdown, Victoria would take the last step towards COVID normal when the state records no new cases for more than 14 days.
The government has scheduled an announcement on the last step for November 22. The last step will mean Melburnians can hold public gatherings of up to 50 people and have up to 20 visitors to their home. Working from home would continue and there is no date set for the end to mandatory masks.
Victoria could clear 14 days without a case being detected on Friday.
Asked if clearing that milestone could bring forward the announcements planned for November 22, Mr Foley said: "I think we have been very clear that we'll take a careful cautious approach to making sure that we once we do open that we stay open".
"Each step of the way, has been marked and run by data and science, and that will continue," he said.
University of Melbourne academic and physician Nathan Grills has written a piece pushing for Victoria's face mask rules to be relaxed, citing the experience of caring for his grandmother
"I watched her struggle to put her mask on, knock her hearing-aid out and take a juggling catch. She just managed to maintain her balance. Then her glasses fogged up and I grabbed her elbow as she tripped.
"It doesn’t take a public health physician to see the danger of masks to the elderly. I made my Grandma ditch the mask."
Victoria's 14-day case average has now slipped to 0.1 after just two cases were detected in the last fortnight.
One of those infections came from an unknown source. A new case has not been identified since October 29.
This weekend will be the first in several months during which Melburnians can travel around the state without distance restrictions.
Police will begin a state-wide operation this Friday, targeting drivers.
Operation Compass will run for three weekends. Police have warned those attending newly opened restaurants, pubs and wineries that there will be a push on breath-testing for alcohol and drugs.
More to come
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Michael is a state political reporter for The Age.
Mathew Dunckley is digital editor at The Age. Based in our Melbourne newsroom, he was previously business editor for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age and Melbourne bureau chief for the Australian Financial Review.