Regional Victorian cities could be the testing ground for new technology that will limit the access of unvaccinated people to the pub or sporting events.
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Premier Daniel Andrews announced the government was investigating using technology for those who have had COVID-19 immunisations to attain greater freedom from lockdown restrictions
While the premier did not give away much detail of how or when it would operate, he said it made sense if regional Victoria cities were partially opened up next week for them to be the place where the trials were begun.
"We could do some of those pilots safely in regional Victoria, hopefully, because they will be not in lockdown anymore," Mr Andrews said. "Today is not the day for those announcements."
While such rules would not be binding or universal at this early stage because vaccination rates were currently too low, they would set the precedent for locking out people who were voluntarily unvaccinated from some public facilities and events, Mr Andrew said.
He also stressed the system would be key to opening up the wider economy for the majority who were willing to get vaccinated.
"I'm not going to lock the whole state down to protect people who won't protect themselves," he said.
"To put it another way, when we get to those vaccination double-dose thresholds as part of the national plan, the notion of a lockdown of the whole community is far less relevant but what will, I think, become a bigger part of our response is a lockout of many, many venues for those who are not vaccinated."
"If you're not vaccinated and you could be, then the chance of you booking a ticket at a sporting event, going to a pub, going to all manner of different places will be very, very limited."
Premier Daniel Andrews reiterated regional Victoria - apart from Shepparton and its surrounds - could be released from lockdown as early as next week.
The trials allowing vaccinated residents entry into hotels, pubs and restaurants could be on the cards when the regions open up.
The premier hailed the prime minster's announcement about a four million dose 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.
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."
With AAP