Several vaccine and mask mandates are lifted in Victoria

By Samantha Allen

Published: June 18, 2022 | 12:46 PM GMT

Several Covid restrictions, including most vaccine obligations and the requirement for masks in airports, will be withdrawn on Saturday, according to Victoria.

From 11.59 p.m. on June 24, the Andrews government declared that masks will no longer be necessary in airport terminals.

Domestic flights, public transportation, ridesharing vehicles, hospitals, and care facilities will all require masks.

Workers in education, quarantine, food distribution, and meat and seafood processing are no longer required to receive the third vaccine.

Visitor caps at residential aged care and disability facilities will also be scrapped but visitors will still be required to return a negative RAT test.

People who are infected with Covid will still be required to isolate for seven days but can drive other household members to school or work as long as the infected person does not leave the vehicle.

General employees will no longer be required to work from home if they aren’t double vaccinated.

Employers can still have their own vaccination policy in place.

Employees in the health and care industries, on the other hand, will still be required to obtain at least one booster injection – a total of three vaccine doses.

The Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) recommended that mask mandates in airport terminals be abolished earlier this week.

The Andrews Government's new rules are in line with the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee updated recommendations from earlier this week (pictured, Dan Andrews)

‘The AHPPC notes all states and territories have relaxed mask mandates in most settings within the community and considers that it is no longer proportionate to mandate mask use in airport terminals,’ the AHPPC said on Tuesday.

Health Minister Martin Foley said some rules needed to remain so hospitals didn’t become overwhelmed through winter.

‘Modest changes to our public health measures will keep Victorians protected as we continue to safely lift mandates and support businesses and individuals to begin to manage their own Covid risk,’ he said in a statement.

The lifting of more Covid restrictions is significant in Victoria given its capital, Melbourne, became the most locked down c

About Samantha Allen

Samantha Allen is a seasoned journalist and senior correspondent at TDPel Media, specializing in the intersection of maternal health, clinical wellness, and public policy. With a background in investigative reporting and a passion for data-driven storytelling, Samantha has become a trusted voice for expectant mothers and healthcare advocates worldwide. Her work focuses on translating complex medical research into actionable insights, covering everything from prenatal fitness and neonatal care to the socioeconomic impacts of healthcare legislation. At TDPel Media, Samantha leads the agency's health analytics desk, ensuring that every report is grounded in accuracy, empathy, and scientific integrity. When she isn't in the newsroom, she is an advocate for community-led wellness initiatives and an avid explorer of California’s coastal trails.