From Monday onwards, Australia's largest city of Sydney will further ease social distancing curbs a month after emerging from a coronavirus lockdown that lasted nearly 100 days, as close to 90% of people have got both doses of vaccine.
According to Reuters, the relaxation in the state of New South Wales, home to Sydney, lifts limits on house guests or outdoor gatherings, among other measures.
"We're leading the nation out of the pandemic," said state premier Dominic Perrottet, as he called for a "final push" to reach, and even surpass, a milestone of 95% vaccinations.
Several hundred people held an anti-vaccine protest on Sunday in the state's capital of Sydney, but such opposition is slight in Australia, where polls show vaccination opponents number in the single digits.
The southeastern state of Victoria recorded the majority of Australia's 1,417 new coronavirus cases, with public health figures showing 10 more deaths.
Notably, Australia crossed the 80% mark of full inoculations on Saturday.
Australia eased international border curbs on Monday for the first time during the pandemic, but only for its vaccinated public from states with high levels of inoculation.
However domestic travel is still hindered, as most states and territories keep internal borders shut. Western Australia state will re-open when it hits the 90% level of double vaccine doses, its premier said.
Meanwhile, as New South Wales (NSW) state has begun to see a tapering of its vaccination rates, authorities today announced that the state would transition to the booster program phase of its vaccination rollout.
NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet, during Sunday's press conference, said the state would transit to its booster program phase, focusing first on the state's most vulnerable population.
The Australian state of Victoria saw a drop in daily cases, recording 1,173 new locally acquired cases in the 24 hours to midnight Saturday down from 1,268 cases. The state recorded another nine deaths.
About 83 per cent of Victoria's above 12 years' population have been fully vaccinated.
