The Victorian Premier flagged some “conservative easing of restrictions” but only when the numbers of community infections get significantly lower.

Victoria recorded 76 locally acquired cases of the Delta strain on Monday.

“If we can achieve zero, that’s a terrific outcome. If we can’t, we are all the better for having tried to drive the numbers down as low as possible,” Mr Andrews said.

The numbers that will allow any easing will be announced on Wednesday.

“Delta infects so rapidly that it’s not a choice between zero or 500 cases a day. It’s a choice between very low numbers of cases and thousands of cases.

READ MORE: 76 new cases and 1030 COVID-19 exposure sites in Victoria

“Australia can cope with pandemic of non-vaccinated if that unvaccinated group is small,” the Premier emphasised.
Neos Kosmos asked how advanced the conversation is in National Cabinet on vaccine passports. And pointed to Greece, Denmark, and Singapore, where vaccine passports are essential for all indoor venues, gatherings, events, and travel.

“National Cabinet is discussing them and will continue to – I have no doubt there will be a form of passport or electronic certificate for venues, travel and bars.

“The reality is that it is highly unlikely anyone will be able to get onto a plane or be allowed into another nation without a vaccine passport,” Mr Andrews emphasised.

He said that there are several options for when we open for those coming back into Australia, such as evidence of vaccination, “home quarantine” and even short-term “electronic monitoring as the Premier of South Australia suggested”.

READ MORE: National Cabinet leaves us in the dark about reopening the nation, so we’re left joining the dots

Neos Kosmos asked why fully vaccinated people cannot be granted more freedoms than the unvaccinated. Mr Andrews reiterated that the current rate of full vaccination is “too low at 35 per cent, and it would be difficult to restrict people and not the others, and very challenging to control infection.

“We will cope with unvaccinated people becoming infected and becoming sick when we have reached the 70 per cent, and even better the 80 per cent vaccination target,” the Premier said.

During the conference notification came that Singapore has delivered 500,000 Pfizer doses to Australia.

When asked if they were destined for Victoria, Mr Andrews smiled broadly and said that it was “terrific news, really terrific” but would not confirm if the Pfizer was for Victoria.

He empathised with all Victorians suffering lockdown saying he knew how “fragile mental health” is, and fully understands how the lockdown is “frustrating and painful”.

He lamented that “there are only difficult choices, there are only difficult options with Delta.”

Mr Andrews said that Delta is infecting a lot more younger people and said that of the 15 people on ventilators in Victorian hospitals their “ages range between 38 years and 72 years old.”

“The median age of people in Victorian hospitals is 49yrs old. The challenges of having large numbers of patients in hospital and significant numbers of people in intensive care is very real.

Over 55 per cent have received one shot with 34.2 per cent of the population fully vaccinated.

“Today as I stand here Victoria has only 34 per cent or 35 per cent of people with a double dose, not 80 per cent,” Mr Andrews added.

Mr Andrews said that Victoria “is sticking with the National Strategy” and that he is having “productive” and “regular” conversations with the Prime Minister.

“The Prime Minister has on numerous occasions, and privately, indicated to me that the number of AstraZeneca shots that we’ve been able to get into arms is remarkable and he sees us in a stronger position across the state.”

Over 4.8 million Victorians have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine with the state to reach 60 per cent of people with one jab in seven days and 70 per cent in 22 days, according to the COVID live website, (covidlive.com.au)

Mr Andrews went on to say that “AstraZeneca is safe and effective” adding “you make the choice if that’s the vaccine for you.”

“The best vaccine, as the Chief Health Officer says, is the one you can get today, there are literally thousands of AstraZeneca appointments available for you.

“And if that choice is AstraZeneca, well then you will have played your part, just like all of us that have been vaccinated have played our part towards getting to 80 per cent.”

“Anyone who is making a choice not to get vaccinated – it’s the wrong choice.

“The evidence is very clear, these vaccines are safe, and these vaccines are incredibly effective at stopping people from getting really sick. Delta is a ‘pandemic of the unvaccinated’,” Mr Andrews said.