As it happened: State records two new local COVID-19 cases linked to Southbank apartment; active infections drop

Health Minister Martin Foley and COVID-19 commander Jeroen Weimar spoke at 1.15pm, you can watch it here:

After that flurry of activity over the two new cases announced at the press conference this afternoon we’re going to leave it there but here’s a quick recap of what’s happened today:

We started the day with zero local cases of coronavirus, but two positive tests have been found after a pop-up testing blitz at the Southbank apartment complex where four people were previously positive. Those two cases will go in tomorrow’s numbers.

People from regional Victoria will be able to travel to South Australia again, as long they have a test on arrival and isolate until they get their result. Melburnians, however, are still not welcome across the border.

The online vaccine booking portal is up and running, after dedicated phone lines buckled under the number of calls it was receiving at the start of the outbreak and when vaccine eligibility was opened to people aged 40-49.

The advice on the interval between Pfizer doses seems to have morphed from three weeks to between three and six weeks, with Professor Terry Nolan of the Doherty Institute saying the longer break may even improve immunity.

There is no word yet on whether travel restrictions will ease in time for the impending school holidays, and Health Minister Martin Foley refused to be drawn on that topic at today’s outing.

That’s all for today, see you tomorrow.

Queenslanders made up almost one-third of yesterday’s COVID-19 vaccinations.

Just over 64,000 people went out and got vaccinated yesterday, and Queenslanders made up almost one-third of them.

There were more vaccine doses administered in Queensland than in any other state or territory yesterday, perhaps influenced by the fact it was one of the only two states that did not have a Queen’s Birthday public holiday on Monday.

In Victoria, there were 10,602 vaccine doses administered - the lowest single-day total for three weeks.

You can follow the vaccination progress of your state/territory using the interactive table below:

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Many Melburnians would traditionally be off in search of sunshine and warmer weather at this time of year.

For school families in particular, it’s been an anxious time deciding whether to book or delay holiday plans amid continuing travel restrictions.

Those limits are in force until 11.59pm Thursday, leaving many holiday plans in disarray and Health Minister Martin Foley was not offering any advice about whether Melburnians should keep bookings.

“It’s a day to day proposition, we know families and businesses need the certainty… When we’ve got more to say about that, we’ll have more to say,” he said.

Have you cancelled or delayed your travel plans due to the current restrictions? Share your story below.

It’s live! The online booking system for Victorians launched today, after weeks of people looking for vaccines being directed to a phone line that struggled to cope with demand.

Here’s the link for those who need to book a second Pfizer shot: https://portal.cvms.vic.gov.au/

(Spoiler: this blogger has an appointment for a first Pfizer jab this Thursday, but couldn’t book an appointment online for the second dose yet. Foiled!)

Victoria’s COVID-19 commander Jeroen Weimar says the two new positive cases identified at the Southbank apartment complex are linked to communal areas, and wider areas will lock down.

The two cases are both adult men who live in separate apartments “adjacent to the other four positive cases” in the complex.

“Those two positive cases are connected to some communal areas that we are concerned about, thoroughfares within that particular complex,” Mr Weimar says.

“There is a total now of six positive cases, one of the positive cases is a very young infant and they are remaining in the apartment with their mother.”

Since this outbreak started, 7000 primary close contacts have been cleared and 1600 primary close contacts still need to receive their test results.

Infection control and testing teams are now focusing on the Southbank apartment.