IMAGE: Businesses in Melbourne’s CBD are hopeful the end of work-from-home recommendations will see an uptick in foot traffic.(ABC News: Stephanie Ferrier)
Source: ABCnews
Victoria has recorded three COVID-19 deaths and 5,852 new infections.
The number of people in hospital with the virus has risen slightly to 283, up from the 274 hospitalisations recorded on Sunday.
There are 42 patients in intensive care units, seven of whom are on ventilators.
While the daily hospitalisation figure fluctuates, the seven-day average for hospitalisations has continued to fall.
It currently sits around 303, its lowest level since December last year.
There are now 41,205 active cases in the state.
Around 94 per cent of Victorians aged 12 and above have received two COVID-19 vaccine doses and roughly 59 per cent of adults have received three doses.Catch up on the main COVID-19 news from February 25 with a look back at our blog
From Friday night, many remaining COVID-19 restrictions were dropped, including the requirement for masks to be worn inside workplaces such as offices.
A recommendation for people to work from home that has been in place for much of the pandemic has also been dropped.
COVID isolation payments dropped
The Victorian government has confirmed that it will end the state’s COVID-19 isolation payments this week.
The payments, which have been available since July 2020, have provided $450 to those needing to stay home while waiting for the result of a COVID-19 PCR test.
Industry Support and Recovery Minister Martin Pakula said the reason for the change was that the use of rapid antigen tests had reduced the need for people to isolate for days while waiting for test results.
“The payment was an important emergency support for many workers during the height of the pandemic, but as we enter a new phase of managing COVID-19 it’s no longer necessary,” he said.
Since the payments were introduced, more than 1.2 million have been approved, which were worth $545 million.
Claims will only be accepted up to 9am Wednesday for people who have taken a test on or before Tuesday March 1.
