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Many NSW school children will return to the classroom earlier than expected and a raft of other restrictions will be eased earlier than previously announced under changes to the state's roadmap to freedom revealed by Premier Dominic Perrottet.

The changes include a doubling in the household visitor cap and an increase in the number of people allowed to gather outside, as NSW prepares for "freedom day" on Monday when pubs, restaurants, gyms and shops will reopen.

It comes as NSW hit its first major milestone of 70 per cent double dose vaccinations yesterday afternoon, which prompted a meeting of the NSW crisis cabinet.

All the changes from Monday will continue to only apply to fully vaccinated people.

LIVE NEWS: Victoria records 1638 cases and two deaths

EXPLAINER: All the big changes happening from Monday

School return to be fast-tracked

All school students will now go back to face-to-face learning on October 25.

Students in Kindergarten, Year 1 and Year 12 students will still return on October 18.

However, students in year 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9 and 10 will return a week earlier than expected, joining years 2, 6 and 11 on October 25.

"That's great for kids. It's a major relief for parents and their sanity," Mr Perrottet said.

NSW Education Minister Sarah Mitchell said COVID-19 safety measures were all in place for the earlier return to school. 

Ventilation in classrooms has been examined, and vaccinations are mandatory for teachers. 

Ms Mitchell said public schools would not be asking for information about a student's vaccination status.

Caps on visitors, gatherings to be increased

Restrictions around people gathering in NSW will also be relaxed further than previously announced. 

From Monday, up to 10 visitors, not counting children 12 and under, will be allowed in homes, instead of five.

The cap on outdoor gatherings has also been lifted to 30 people, previously it was 20.

https://twitter.com/Dom_Perrottet/status/1445881942776311809?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

For weddings and funerals, the cap has been doubled from 50 to 100 people.

Indoor swimming pools, which were previously closed until December 1, will be open for for swimming lessons, squad training, lap swimming, and rehab activities. 

READ MORE: WA premier in withering attack on NSW Government

More changes earmarked for 80 per cent vaccination

Other changes to the NSW roadmap have been made for when the state reaches its 80 per cent double dose milestone, which Mr Perrottet predicted would be "in a couple of weeks".

At 80 percent double dose, people able to have up to 20 visitors (excluding children 12 and under) to a home (previously 10).

Up to 50 people will be allowed to gather outdoors (previously 20) and up to 3,000 people will be allowed to attend controlled and ticketed outdoor events (previously 500).

Nightclubs will also be permitted to reopen for seated drinking only and masks will no longer be required in office buildings

Mr Perrottet said he wished to offer an opportunity for nighclubs to reopen for young people who had a rough last couple of months.

"Young people have done it pretty tough during this period of time," he said. 

"This is, for many, the best years of their life, at 18, 19, and they haven't been go out, go clubbing and doing that. 

"I want to thank them. And we'll get those clubs open as quickly as possible."  

Regional workers can return to work with one vaccine dose

Deputy Premier Stuart Ayres has announced workers in regional areas can return to their job from Monday if they have had at least one vaccine dose. 

"They'll be given a grace period until November 1 to receive their second," he said.  

"This has been done because in some areas it was difficult to be able to get vaccines." 

This will include regional areas outside the Blue Mountains, Central Coast, Shellharbour and Wollongong.  

AMA warns cases could spike

The NSW Chairman of the Australian Medical Association, Dr Michael Bonning, has warned changes to the state's roadmap could be too fast too soon.

"Just because we've got a new premier in the driver's seat, that's not a good enough reason to deviate from the court that was set out," Dr Bonning said.

He said the health professionals also need to be supported when it comes to the plan, which needs to "look after the health of everyone".

"We can't afford to act like COVID is over. The 80 per cent vaccine rate is like the ticket to starting the finals, it's not the end of the race," he said.

NSW records 587 new COVID-19 cases

Meanwhile, NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard has announced the state recorded 587 positive COVID-19 cases to 8pm last night. 

A total of 112,186 tests were carried out in the same period. 

Mr Hazzard said from Monday, the 11am publication of the daily figures would be moved to 9am – though health staff will continue to make other announcements at 11am.

Key roadmap changes

All roadmap freedoms at 70% and 80% will continue to be for fully vaccinated people only

Changes to 70 per cent roadmap (Monday, October 11)

• up to 10 visitors (not counting children 12 and under) to a home (previously five)
• the cap on outdoor gatherings lifted to 30 people (previously 20)
• increase the cap for weddings and funerals to 100 people (previously 50)
• indoor pools will be re-opened for swimming lessons, squad training, lap swimming, and rehab activities

Changes to the 80 per cent roadmap (First Monday after 80 per cent milestone reached)

• people able to have up to 20 visitors (excluding children 12 and under) to a home (previously 10)
• up to 50 people will be allowed to gather outdoors (previously 20)
• up to 3,000 people will be allowed to attend controlled and ticketed outdoor events (previously 500)
• nightclubs will be permitted to reopen for seated drinking only (no dancing)
• masks will no longer be required in office buildings

Schools

• All school students will return to on site learning with a range of COVID-safe measures in place by October 25
• Kindergarten, Year 1 and Year 12 students will still return to face-to-face learning on October 18

Regional

• workers in regional areas who have received one vaccination dose will be permitted to return to their workplace from October 11 and will be given a grace period until November 1 to receive their second dose. Regional areas are those outside Greater Sydney, the Blue Mountains, Wollongong, Shellharbour and the Central Coast.

Two Victoria Police officers are in hospital after they contracted COVID-19 at the violent anti-lockdown protests in Melbourne last month.

One is seriously ill in hospital.

They reportedly caught the virus after coming into contact with unmasked protesters.

READ MORE: Push to vaccinate people living with a disability as Victoria records 1638 new COVID-19 cases

Both officers reportedly worked at a series of protests in Melbourne in September and are unvaccinated.

The two officers are from an inner city police station.

Another 23 members from that station have now been forced into two weeks quarantine after being exposed to the virus.

Those officers are vaccinated and have returned negative results.

Police Association Victoria secretary Wayne Gatt said neither of the sick officers are in intensive care.

READ MORE: Second protester tests positive to COVID-19

Victoria Police has released a statement saying it has "had a number of employees from many and varied locations furnish positive COVID-19 results which are believed directly linked to their role".

A spokesperson said Victoria Police would not say how many officers and staff were in quarantine for operational reasons.

"Our utmost priority and focus is to ensure our members safety and welfare and as such all impacted officers are supported, offered assistance and guided through any and all health, safety and quarantine measures," the spokesperson said.

The two officers have contracted COVID-19 after a number of Victoria Police officers were forced into isolation late last month following two protesters tested positive to COVID-19.

Two protesters have been known to have contracted the virus since the protests.

A serial rapist who preyed on two women as they were walking alone in Melbourne's bayside area has been jailed for more than a decade over the separate attacks.

Justin Mathieson, 32, was sentenced to 12 years' jail before the County Court today, having pleaded guilty to charges including rape and making a threat to inflict serious injury.

Mathieson attacked two women in separate attacks in Elwood in 2012.

READ MORE: Push to vaccinate people living with a disability as Victoria records 1638 new COVID-19 cases

In February 2012, he followed a 47-year-old woman as she walked alongside the canal in Elwood about 11pm before he grabbed her from behind.

Mathieson sexually assaulted the woman on the ground before her screams led to him running away.

Eight months later, in October 2012, he grabbed a 32-year-old woman from a walking track, telling her, "Don't scream or anything or I will stab you".

He sexually assaulted the woman in nearby bushes, saying, "If you scream or struggle I will hurt you. I will stab you. I've got scissors."

The court heard that at the time Mathieson was a drug user living in the nearby suburb of St Kilda.

He has since been diagnosed with schizophrenia.

He was not arrested until last year when DNA matched him to the two attacks.

When sentencing Mathieson today, Judge Amanda Chambers said, "It is no understatement to describe your offending as every woman's worst nightmare."

With time served, Justin Mathieson will be able to apply for parole in just over six years.

However, he will be a registered sex offender for the rest of his life.

A 44-year-old man from Melbourne's inner city is hoping police will take action after he claims he was the victim of a terrifying attack by another cyclist.

The father-of-two, who wishes to remain anonymous, was cycling in Thornbury around 5.45pm last Tuesday when he says another man, who was also on bike, threw a bottle at him.

READ MORE: Major NSW roadmap to freedom changes revealed

The alleged victim filmed the altercation in which the other man can be seen holding onto his neck before later stomping on the his bike.

In the footage, the man can be heard saying "I don't understand, what have I done to you?"

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"He grabbed me from the shirt, as you can see in the video and he gave me such a bad scratch I had blood on my shirt," he told 9News.

Police have told 9News that the aggressive cyclist in the footage has since handed himself in to authorities and is assisting them with their inquiries.

Schools across Queensland are cracking down on a worrying social media craze that's seen bathrooms badly damaged and sparked concerns for staff safety.

Kelvin Grove State High School in Brisbane today sent a letter to parents advising them the school had been forced to restrict access to bathrooms during class time due to "unprecedented acts of vandalism".

Footage shared online showed a toilet had been ripped from the wall at the Gap State High School in the city's north-west.

READ MORE: Tense wait for parents, child cancer patients after COVID-19 exposure

The destructive craze stems from a challenge among users on TikTok called "devious licks", involving a list of pranks that changes each month.

READ MORE: Major NSW roadmap to freedom changes revealed

Last month the directive was to "vandalise school bathrooms".

This month's challenge is called "smack a staff member", sparking concerns students will follow directions to film themselves hitting a teacher and upload the video.

READ MORE: The 'Oddball' $1 trillion coin which help US pay off debt

In its letter to parents, Kelvin Grove SHS principal Kerrie Richards pleaded with parents to talk to their children about the dangerous trend.

"Any assault on a staff member is an extreme breach of the Student Code of Conduct and will not be tolerated," the letter reads.

"Any instances of this will also result in a complaint made to the Queensland Police Service."

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