IMAGE: More than half of all eligible Victorians have now received a booster dose of the COVID vaccine.(ABC News: Ron Ekkel)
Source: ABCnews
Victoria has recorded the deaths of a further 20 COVID-19 patients.
The number of people in hospital after contracting the virus sits at 441, down from the 465 reported on Monday.
Of the people in hospital, 67 are in intensive care units and 14 are on ventilators.
The state has reported 8,162 new infections. That tally is comprised of 2,034 positive PCR tests and 6,128 positive rapid antigen test notifications.
It takes the number of officially reported active infections to 50,967, down from 53,707 on Monday.
About 51 per cent of the state’s adult population has now had a third dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
Meanwhile, the Victorian opposition has accused the government of failing to do enough to encourage parents to vaccinate their children.
Health department figures released yesterday show 52.6 per cent of children aged 5-11 have had a dose of COVID-19 vaccine.
The government had expected 80 per cent of Victoria’s primary school-aged children to have had their first dose by mid-February.
That expectation was voiced by Deputy Premier James Merlino in a meeting with Health Minister Martin Foley on January 24.
However, Shadow Health Minister, Georgie Crozier said the government had fallen well short of that target.
“The government promised that children would be vaccinated but it’s clear that parents are not taking up that offer,” she said.
“The government needs to educate and inform Victorians and allow them to make those decisions.”
