On Thursday, 26 new cases were announced, and more exposure sites in regional areas were revealed - thankfully, none in western Victoria.

Ballarat Health Services has announced the Grampians region has hit 60,000 injections on Thursday, including first and second doses administered in collaboration with Grampians region health services.

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This is in addition to any vaccinations being administered under the Commonwealth program, as Prime Minister Scott Morrison apologised for the botched rollout and the state government expanded Pfizer eligibility for more frontline workers and their families.

More than 19,000 primary close contacts are in isolation in Victoria, and all new cases are linked to previous ones.

While 24 were already isolating, two were in the community - state COVID commander Jeroen Weimar said one of the cases involved a person travelling home through Gippsland to begin isolating at home.

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He praised the way the person interacted at a service station in Heyfield - masking up, minimising time inside, checking in, and going as far to disinfect their credit card before using it.

"East Gippsland to the city is a challenging drive to make, you have to get fuel, and I have to commend that person," he said.

Epidemiology experts said the situation is a good example of how to keep regional Victoria safe - already, several exposure sites, such as the Western Freeway service station in Ballan, have indicated the risks of people travelling while infectious.

ANU medical school's professor of infectious diseases, Peter Collignon, said continuing to follow public health orders - wearing masks, washing hands, and keeping distance - is the best way to stop new outbreaks and end lockdown sooner.

"If they've done all the right things, the chance of transmission should be very low," he said.

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"Nothing's zero anywhere, but that's what we need to get people to do, it lowers the risk for everyone.

"Yes, it could break out in regional Victoria or New South Wales, but so far it hasn't, and that implies you can make a big difference by all doing the right thing, and in Heyfield - that's what you need to do to decrease the risk to others."

Victoria's fifth lockdown is expected to end at midnight on June 27 - payments for affected businesses are available online.

Are you a business owner in need of support? Commerce Ballarat's free mental health clinician is available. Email jade@commerceballarat.com.au, phone 53 333 233 or 0439 932 063, or phone Partners in Wellbeing 1300 375 330

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