Victoria will call in allied heath workers with an aim to expand the vaccine roll-out in the hope the federal government will shortly boost the supply of vaccines.
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Australia has struck a deal with the United Kingdom for four million doses of the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the agreement would mean the number of Pfizer doses arriving in Australia during September would double.
The extra vaccines will be distributed to states and territories based on population. Earlier in the week, Australia clinched a swap deal with Singapore for 500,000 Pfizer doses to be repaid in December. Last month, Poland agreed to send one million doses to Australia.
Victoria recorded 208 new locally acquired coronavirus cases on Friday, the first time cases have tipped above 200 in more than a year, and another death.
The spike in case numbers reported on Friday comes after 3000 people were swabbed as part of day 13 testing in Shepparton on Thursday.
The health department said "sadly, one person with COVID-19 has died" but released no further information. The toll from the current outbreak is now three fatalities.
Only 96 of the 208 cases have been linked to known outbreaks, leaving 112 potential mystery cases, after 48,572 people were tested for the virus.
It comes as hundreds of oral and allied health professionals and students have been given the green light to administer COVID-19 vaccines as the state ramps up its rollout.
Premier Daniel Andrews confirmed dentists, dental hygienists, physiotherapists, speech pathologists and podiatrists, as well as students enrolled in courses such as nursing, midwifery, paramedicine and pharmacy will be trained to prepare and administer the Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines.
But the premier hailed the prime minster announcement about a boost of supplies to the troubled supply of vaccines, particularly the Pfizer vaccine.
"If what's reported pans out, that's fantastic news for all of us.," he said
"We are expanding and we will train up a bigger and broader health workforce to administer vaccines," Mr Andrews said.
"It's essentially everybody who can do this safely needs to be part of that team as we grow and expand the total amount of vaccination that is we do. With expanded hours, with many more appointments being offered over time. Again, a lot of this is subject to supply."
But Mr Andrews also flagged that however good the future supply was, he cautioned against waiting when 50,000 appointments for AstraZeneca were available right now.
"The best vaccine is the one that's available today. AstraZeneca is available today, " he said.
"Don't get in the queue if you're over 60. Don't get in a queue that's right down to 12-year-olds. That's going to be a very long wait and we don't have time to wait. We need to get as many doses into as many arms as possible."
The emergency workforce will be able to assist at state-run hubs, as well as GPs and pharmacies under the supervision of an experienced immuniser.
"As the Commonwealth's vaccination program opens to more Victorians, it is critical that there is a trained and available workforce to continue to provide vaccinations to those eligible," a Victorian government spokeswoman said.
"The vaccination program is our ticket out of this pandemic - it will save lives and keep Victorians safe."
One new case was reported in hotel quarantine, and 33,511 vaccine doses were administered at state-run hubs.
Friday is the first day for playgrounds to be reopened in the state for children aged 12 and under, with rules including QR code check-ins and mask-wearing for the one person allowed to supervise play sessions.
The state's exposure sites have risen to more than 1000, including a fertility clinic located in the same building as the Victorian Parliament's press gallery.
Health Minister Martin Foley said on Thursday Burnet Institute research suggested Victoria's current lockdown had avoided a further 6000 cases in the past month, but now was the time to pivot.
"You've got to follow the advice of the science. Delta has changed the script," he said.
To aid Victoria's quest to ramp up vaccinations, the interval between doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine has been halved to six weeks.
The move, effective immediately, makes the wait time between AstraZeneca doses the same as for Pfizer and will help the state reach its 80 per cent double dose target faster.
The Victoria government late on Thursday announced a tightening of border restrictions, including a ban on crossing to use physical recreation facilities.
The number of communities in the border bubble has also been reduced with Greater Bendigo, Greater Shepparton, City of Benalla, Buloke, Loddon, Yarriambiack and two NSW LGAs, Broken Hill and Edward River, no longer defined as cross border communities.
The Specified Worker List has also been reduced and testing obligations for those entering on a Specified Worker Permit have been extended.
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The Delta variant of COVID-19 has ripped up the script in Victoria as health authorities brace for cases to continue to soar.
Victoria has turned its back on COVID zero in favour of vaccinations, with tough restrictions to stay until at least 70 per cent of eligible Victorians are fully inoculated.
There is some reprieve from Friday, including the reopening of playgrounds for children aged 12 and under, with certain rules such as QR code check-ins and masks for their one permitted supervisor.
Of the 176 new cases on Thursday, 67 were located in the northern suburbs of Melbourne, 61 in the west, 22 in the east and south, and 13 in the regional town of Shepparton.
"This virus is here, right now, and it is spreading fast," Acting Chief Health Officer Ben Cowie told reporters.
"The increasing case numbers are a herald of what our health system is going to be faced with in the coming weeks and months."
More than 3000 people were swabbed as part of day 13 testing in Shepparton on Thursday, which could further lift case numbers on Friday.
Health Minister Martin Foley said Burnet Institute research had suggested the state's lockdown had avoided a further 6000 cases in the past month, but now was the time to pivot.
"You've got to follow the advice of the science. Delta has changed the script," he said.
To aid Victoria's quest to ramp up vaccinations, the interval between doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine has been halved to six weeks.
The move, effective immediately, makes the wait time between AstraZeneca doses the same as for Pfizer and will help the state reach its 80 per cent double dose target faster.
While clinical trials have shown AstraZeneca is most effective with a 12-week second dose interval, Prof Cowie said the state needed to strike a balance between long-term efficacy and increasing protection against the Delta variant.
The Victoria government late on Thursday announced a tightening of border restrictions, including a ban on crossing to use physical recreation facilities.
The number of communities in the border bubble has also been reduced with Greater Bendigo, Greater Shepparton, City of Benalla, Buloke, Loddon, Yarriambiack and two NSW LGAs, Broken Hill and Edward River, no longer defined as cross border communities.
The Specified Worker List has also been reduced and testing obligations for those entering on a Specified Worker Permit have been extended.
- with AAP
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