Australia news live update: Melbourne enjoys first weekend of eased Covid restrictions with more freedoms on way

Christopher Knaus

UK-based Australian families readying trips location for Christmas volition beryllium made to quarantine due to the fact that of a national authorities determination connected vaccines for children.

The Australian and UK governments presently person antithetic requirements connected the vaccination of children aged 12 to 15. While Australia requires 2 doses, the UK allows for lone one successful the immense bulk of cases.

That has important implications for the newly announced vaccine-contingent question restrictions, which let returning Australians, including children aged 12 and above, to skip edifice quarantine if they are afloat vaccinated.

Good morning, and invited to Saturday’s unrecorded blog. I’m Cait Kelly, and I volition beryllium taking you done the quality sum this morning.

I americium coming to you from Melbourne, wherever I deliberation a just fewer radical volition beryllium waking up dusty this morning. The metropolis spent its archetypal afloat nighttime retired of lockdown connected Friday aft reaching 70% afloat vaccination of the colonisation aged 16+.

Premier Daniel Andrews has flagged much easing of restrictions could hap arsenic soon arsenic adjacent weekend.

Andrews confirmed the authorities was connected way to scope 80 per cent by adjacent play - 2 weeks up of docket - which would mean an other easing of restrictions.

He said helium would clasp a property league “quite soon to clarify what we anticipation tin hap astatine the extremity of adjacent week”.

In Sydney, the metropolis is astir to bask its 2nd play retired of lockdown, aft signaling 345 caller Covid-19 cases, 5 deaths.

In quality that volition marque a batch of separated families blessed (like mine) Tasmanian premier Peter Gutwein announced each vaccinated interstate and planetary arrivals tin participate the authorities without a request for quarantine from 15 December.

And according to 1 report, Australia’s booster programme could statesman as aboriginal arsenic adjacent week.

Over the play Pfizer is expected to taxable the indispensable information to the Therapeutic Goods Administration to alteration speedy support of booster doses.

Over the adjacent fewer hours, I’ll bring you the latest, and we’ll an oculus connected Covid numbers and immoderate different processing stories.

Let’s get into it.