A SLIGHT easing of COVID restrictions has been enacted through Victoria, after the State Government extended its pandemic declaration to at least January 12.
As of 11:59pm on Wednesday night, people under the age of 18 are no longer be required to show proof of their vaccination status at venues such as hospitality, but mask restrictions will largely remain the same.
Non–essential retail venues will aslo became available to the unvaccinated population with the exception of hair and beauty businesses, with strict mask requirements set to remain in place.
According to Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton, more information was required about the relatively new Omicron variant before mask settings could be further revised, however, weddings, funerals and ceremonial settings are now exempt from mask expectations.
Vaccination requirements were also removed for ceremonies held at places of worship, but will remain in place if held in a hospitality setting.
Workplaces exposed to a positive COVID–19 case are no longer required to be deep cleaned, while transport, gyms and creative arts premises no longer need to clean equipment between uses.
Under the new guidelines, regional health services will be permitted to resume up to 75 per cent of elective surgery activity.
More than 95 per cent of Wangaratta's eligible population has received two doses of a vaccine, with children between the ages of five to 11 able to receive their first vaccination from January 10.
