Eleven people with Covid-19 have died in Victoria overnight as the state records a drop in daily case numbers.
Victoria recorded 1420 new COVID-19 cases in the last reporting period as experts warn the state’s hospital system as at “breaking point” ahead of a projected lockdown lift.
A total of 36,542 vaccinations were administered yesterday.
The head of the Victorian branch of the Australian Medical Association has warned hospital staff were “stressed” and facing burn-out.
“I just encourage people to get the vaccination,” Dr Roderick McRae told Today.
“Should have been organised six months ago, but that’s the case.”
He slammed the state government’s goal of 70 per cent first dose vaccination levels for the re-opening.
“That’s some artificial number from when we thought we could open, when we had a handful of numbers around – when 70 per cent have a single dose,” Dr McRae said.
“That is as useful as having one shoe in a steeplechase.”
He said Victorians would have to continue to be “extremely careful” even after reaching the 80 percent double dose vaccine level.
“I don’t want to be so pessimistic, but people just need to be cautious and sensible and keep going, because we are that close to being able to get on top of this,” he said.
Victoria was braced for more bad news today after yesterday’s unwelcome national record tally of new Covid cases.
The state had recorded 1763 new cases yesterday, the highest daily total of any state or territory since the outbreak of the pandemic.
But Premier Daniel Andrews has insisted the state will re-open on schedule at the end of the month, with a vaccine blitz underway to lift Victoria to the crucial 70 per cent mark.
