New Zealanders stranded in Melbourne will be able to fly home from Tuesday night, as the city remains in lockdown with Victoria authorities fighting two highly contagious Covid-19 variants.
Lockdown in the Australian state is expected to be extended beyond Thursday, as authorities reveal a positive Melbourne case travelled to New South Wales while potentially infectious.
Victorian Health Minister Martin Foley says disability and aged care workers should take advantage of priority access and get vaccinated.
“The most important thing that you can do is if you haven’t been vaccinated is to use one of these centres or indeed through our partners in the GP networks to get yourself vaccinated," he said.
It comes as Melbourne faces another seven days in lockdown after an additional six cases were recorded overnight, taking the tally to 60.
Mr Foley says the state government is “governed by the public health advice” and urged all citizens to help stop the spread of COVID-19 in the extended lockdown.
Mr Foley reiterated the most high risk populous areas where transmission occurred were Clarendon Street South Melbourne, Bay Street Port Melbourne, Broadway Reservoir, Epping Plaza, Craigieburn Central and Epping North shopping centres.
“If you’ve been to places where these exposure sites are, particularly some of these more challenging ones,
A queue of cars stretched out for kilometres before dawn as Melburnians turned out in droves for drive-through Covid tests amid fears of another extended lockdown.
Countless cars lined up at Melbourne s Deer Park testing station on Wednesday as worried locals waited to be swabbed for the virus.
The incredible scene was caught by a TV helicopter crew from Channel Ten, high in the skies above Melbourne s western suburbs.
The footage comes as the state waits to find out if there will be any escape from the current lockdown - or if the restrictions will be extended for another two weeks.