*Note, this story was published on Monday, September 6. See all the rule changes that have been made official here.
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UPDATE, 11.50AM: Ballarat and most of regional Victoria remains on track for an easing of COVID restrictions this week.
According to health minister Martin Foley, plans for a "gradual easing" remain in place.
However, Greater Shepparton and the Goulburn Valley area are unlikely to be included the easing of restrictions.
It has not yet been detailed what the easing will entail.
There are 12 active cases listed in Greater Geelong, including a new household contact announced today.
However, there is minimal evidence of the virus anywhere else outside of Melbourne.
See where all the active cases are here.
It was also confirmed on Monday morning that the trainee nurse who attended Ballarat's ACU campus last week and later tested positive for COVID resides in western Melbourne.
There are no new or active cases among Ballarat residents.
"There are still plans for not a snapback, but certainly an easing of restrictions for regional Victoria with the likely exception of the Shepparton, Goulburn Valley area, because of the cluster there," Mr Foley said.
"That will be focusing around support measures, wellbeing measures, and a gradual easing.
"It shouldn't be seen as a snapback to where we were, say, in April or May, but certainly a recognition that the chain of transmission in the regions are different and in most of the regions very different to what they are in metropolitan Melbourne."
Mr Foley said just under 30,000 vaccines were administered in state-run clinics on Sunday.
He said that 60.9 per cent of people over 16 have now had at least one dose of vaccine in Victoria.
Of the people in hospital, 67 were not vaccinated but were eligible. Ten people were partially vaccinated.
See all the exposure sites here.
Mr Foley said this was a "pandemic of the unvaccinated".
"This current outbreak is targeting the unvaccinated because that's where the virus will go," he said.
"Our best way in which to protect ourselves, our family, our community and to get to the other side of this is to get vaccinated and, therefore, protect yourself, perhaps even more importantly do your bit to protect our public health system and make sure that any wave of the unvaccinated protects our public health system."
Bookings for a vaccination blitz of final year school students also opens today.
Mr Foley said all parents and caregivers should have received information about how to enroll in that blitz, and to double-check their emails.
He says the first vaccinations in that blitz will be administerd to school students tomorrow.
Housing Minister Richard Wynne announced a new program for those who have lost income during recent lockdowns and are in rental distress.
The one-off grant of up to $1,500 will be available to renters paying more than 30 per cent of income in rent.
The grants will be targeted to those who have lost 20 per cent or more of their income in rent, backdated to May 27, 2021.
The grant will be allocated to the landlord. The minister also issued a fresh plea for landlords to be understanding where tenants are struggling because of lost work in recent lockdowns.
"This is an important initiative, a targeted initiative that is actually going to make a significant difference to people's lives," Mr Wynne said.
"We absolutely understand just how critical it is that particularly those who are vulnerable have safe, affordable and secure housing in the private rental market."
Mr Wynne also announced an extension of the current homelessness program out to June 30 next year.
It will be a $45 million investment from the Victorian government.
EARLIER, 8.45AM: Victoria has recorded 246 new COVID-19 cases in the 24 hours until midnight on Sunday.
Of the 246 new cases, 121 have been linked, meaning 125 are currently classified as mystery cases.
There is no further information about the cases currently available.
There were 26,955 vaccines administered yesterday, with state well ahead of schedule to achieve the 70 per cent first dose target.
There are now 1,619 active cases in the state.
There remains just one exposure site in Ballarat, after a positive case attended Australian Catholic University last week.
The Mair Street campus is listed as a tier two site, with people who attended the university on September 1 between 3.30pm and 6pm to isolate until they return a negative test.
Meanwhile, Premier Daniel Andrews has warned Victorians to get vaccinated or get left out once the state hits its vaccine targets.
IN OTHER NEWS
As the state reached 60 per cent first dose coverage on Sunday, the premier emphasised the jab would not only afford Victorians greater protection against COVID-19 but also extra freedoms.
"There's going to be a vaccinated economy, and you get to participate in that if you are vaccinated," Mr Andrews told reporters.
The premier last week flagged a vaccine passport pilot program would soon be trialled in venues such as pubs and restaurants in regional Victoria, which could be partly released from lockdown as early as this week.
The Moonee Valley Racing Club is also pushing to host thousands of fully vaccinated spectators as part of a "no jab, no entry" policy for next month's Cox Plate.
"I am certain that there will be a whole range of events once we get to 70 and 80 per cent double dose thresholds ... that will be open for vaccinated people only," Mr Andrews said.
With only one of the 89 Victorian COVID patients in hospital fully vaccinated, Mr Andrews described the current outbreak as a "pandemic of the unvaccinated".
It is also impacting a younger demographic than last year's second wave, with 91 per cent of the 183 new cases reported on Sunday under the age of 50.
Once Victoria reaches 70 per cent first dose coverage, it will trigger minor rule easing including the expansion of the 5km travel radius to 10km and more exercise time.
The state was initially forecast to hit the mark on September 23, but is five days ahead of schedule.
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