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The Australian Capital Territory has recorded 17 new locally acquired cases of COVID-19, with six of the new cases still under investigation.

Of the new cases 11 are linked to known cases, with 12 in the community for part of their infectious period. Five of the cases were in quarantine during their infectious period.

ACT Health said more than 800 people have self-identified as close contacts of outbreaks across the region.

The region has been in a strict lockdown since early August. Last week, ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr confirmed the lockdown is set to end on October 15.

READ MORE: New South Wales records 1083 new COVID-19 cases, 13 deaths

https://twitter.com/ACTHealth/status/1439415303989915649?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

ACT Health has this afternoon released a list of exposure sites across 14 suburbs, including construction sites, supermarkets and restaurants.

Three of the 14 suburbs – Conder, Dickson and Gungahlin – are considered casual contact locations.

"We only consider you as a close, casual or monitor for symptoms contact if you've been to an exposure location at the specific dates and times listed," ACT Health said in a tweet.

"If you were at the location at any other time or date, then we don't consider you as a contact."

Eleven other suburbs have been listed as areas of concern where any COVID-19 symptoms should be monitored.

These suburbs are: Banks, Belconnen, Braddon, Canberra City, Casey, Conder, Fyshwick, Holt, Philip, Wanniassa and Watson.

ACT's active COVID-19 cases stand at 242, with eight people in hospital with the virus.

Two people are in intensive care, with one individual requiring ventilation.

ACT Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith said efforts are being made to vaccinate 12- to 15-year-olds.

"There are about 25,000 young people in this age group in the ACT," Ms Stephen-Smith told a media conference today.

"While this is a relatively small cohort, we know it is particularly important that we continue our vaccination program to ensure that young people in our community can be vaccinated."

The ACT has reached 82 per cent first dose vaccination with 56.8 per cent having received their second COVID-19 jab.

The Premier has said there "will be no turning back" while revealing the plan for Victoria to gradually 'open up' following more than 230 days of lockdown.

Daniel Andrews said he was announcing an "aspirational but realistic" plan to get the state open.

"It will be done in a staggered and measured and proportionate, cautious way, but we are opening up. Be in no doubt about that. There will be no turning back."

Mr Andrews said if the state opened up now, with just 45 per cent of people double-dosed, then we would have "a catastrophic number of people who would be very, very ill, and many, many thousands of people would be in intensive care".

READ MORE: NSW records 1083 new COVID-19 cases, 13 deaths as LGAs of concern given more freedoms

He said the roadmap would constantly be revised for the impact on the state's healthcare system.

"As we deliver this roadmap, we will monitor every hour of every day. How many people are in hospital? How much pressure is there on our health system? Are with balancing that?"

The Premier said if the state were to reach a vaccination rate of 80 per cent double dosed by Melbourne Cup Day, there's potential for a grandstand crowd at Flemington.

Melbourne Cup is traditionally held on the first Tuesday in November, this year scheduled for November 2nd.

"If we deliver it by Cup Day, or it's really clear that we're going to, then we'll have options to have a crowd," he said.

"I can't say how big a crowd, but it's a great goal. It'd be a great signal to the world, signal to the rest of the country that Victoria is open."

September 26

Once Victoria reaches 80 per cent of the eligible population having had their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, which is expected to be about 26 September, Melburnians will be able to do outdoor recreational activities like play golf and cricket.

However, the same limits on households and numbers will continue to apply with picnics.

At the same milestone, in regional Victoria, masks will be able to removed for hair and beauty services.

October

From about 5 October, VCE students in Melbourne will return to classrooms.

From 18 October, prep students in Melbourne will return to school three days a week while grade 1 and 2 students will return two days a week.

https://twitter.com/danielandrewsmp/status/1439418426850570244?s=21

October 26

Mr Andrews said when 70 per cent of the eligible population had had their second dose, which is expected to be 26 October, lockdown would end.

"Reasons to leave the home and the curfew will no longer be in place. So lockdown will be off."

However, only ten fully-vaccinated people will be able to gather outdoors.

Pubs, clubs and entertainment venues will be able to open to 50 fully vaccinated people – but only for outdoor use.

Weddings and funerals will be open for 50 fully vaccinated people again outdoors.

In terms of schools and education, all school students will return to onsite learning at least part of that learning week.

Hairdressing and personal care will be able to open for up to five fully-vaccinated people.

For regional Victoria, from about 26 October social and recreational, community sport returns indoors, but with number limits.

Pubs, clubs and entertainment venues will be able to open for 30 fully-vaccinated patrons indoors.

All school students will return to onsite learning for at least part of the week.

For faith gatherings, funerals and weddings, they will be allowed to have up to 30 people indoors and 100 people outdoors.

November 5

Mr Andrews said when the state was expected to reach 80 per cent of the eligible population fully vaccinated, at about 5 November, Melbourne and regional Victoria would be put on the same restrictions:

• Up to 10 people, including dependents, will be allowed to visit homes
• Up to 150 fully vaccinated people will be able to dine indoors and up to 30 can gather in public outside
• Indoor community sport will be open with restrictions
• Masks will only be required inside
• Pubs, restaurants and cafes will be open for seated service only up to 150 fully-vaccinated patrons inside and up to 500 patrons outside
• Workers will be directed to work from home if they can, but will be able to go to work if fully vaccinated.
• Hairdressing, beauty, personal care will be open for fully-vaccinated people
• All retail will be open
• Early childhood education and childcare will be open fully all students return to school with additional safety measures in place

Mr Andrews said he was aiming to allow 30 visitors to homes for Christmas.

Daniel Andrews has refused to indicate when travel to NSW will be likely to be permitted.

He said international travel would probably be open by 2022.

"I don't know whether we'll have international travel by the end of the year, I think that's the aim and probably will happen but I don't know it as a certainty."

Mr Andrews said the government had released the full Burnett Institute modelling on the Victorian outbreak, which predicted what would happen without restricting.

READ MORE: Victorian health authorities to reveal roadmap out of lockdown tomorrow

https://twitter.com/VicGovDH/status/1439357283813658626?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

"It models out and projects that on or about 15th December cases will peak at about 4,500.

Toward the end of does, admissions to hospital will peak at about 3,150.

In January, deaths due to COVID-19 and the Delta variant will peak at around 2,200."

The announcements come after the state recorded 507 new local COVID-19 cases and another death in the last day.

More than 58,000 tests were conducted across the state on top of 43,000 vaccines administered.

There are 5262 cases of COVID-19 across the state, with 204 people in hospital, including 55 in intensive care.

Three new LGAs to return to lockdown

Health Minister Martin Foley has announced three LGAs in regional Victoria are set to go into a seven-day lockdown from 11.59pm tonight: Greater Geelong, Surf Coast Shire and Mitchell Shire.

"The rules in these three LGAs will be the same as they are in Melbourne and Ballarat at the moment, minus the curfew," he said.

The authorised worker system will be back in place for these LGAs.

Border changes

Victorians in 66 NSW LGAs will be able to apply to return home from 11.59pm tonight when the areas are downgraded from extreme risk zones to risk zones.

"That means that Victorian residents have an entitlement to apply for a red zone permit to return to Victoria. They will have to quarantine at home for 14 days and got tested at regular intervals through that 14-day period," CHO Brett Sutton said.

READ MORE: 'Angry young men': 235 arrested and 10 police officers injured in Melbourne anti-lockdown protests

The roadmap and restriction changes come a day after violent protests erupted on the streets of inner city Melbourne, after some 700 people descended on Richmond and clashed with police.

So far, a total of 235 people arrested and more than $1 million in fines have been issued.

Yesterday, the state recorded 535 new local cases and another death.

A close contact of a Covid-19 positive case visited the Tauranga court building last Monday during the day and after hours.People who visited the court on September 13 were asked to follow the Ministry of Health’s guidelines, the…

Victoria's police union has slammed the "criminal" actions of hundreds of anti-lockdown protestors in Melbourne yesterday, after 10 police officers were injured in the chaos.

Police Association Victoria secretary Wayne Gatt said the actions of many protestors who gathered in Richmond yesterday – throwing projectiles, bottles, cans and rocks at police – was not protesting, but simply "criminal behaviour".

"What we saw yesterday was just acts from criminals," he said.

READ MORE: Victoria records 507 new local COVID-19 cases

"They weren't protest activities, they were criminal acts."

"We can't tolerate that."

Mr Gatt said the perpetrators needed to be investigated and treated like any other criminals.

He said police had illogically become the "punching bag" for anger against the government and the pandemic, telling the protestors: "Wake up to yourselves".

"You can't explain what must be going on between the ears of some of those people."

"(Protesting) doesn't make the situation any better."

READ MORE: Melbourne CBD to be locked down on Saturday to prevent COVID-19 protest

Mr Gatt said he wasn't "copping" any suggestion that police had been the drivers of the violent scenes.

"(Protestors) came to that demonstration with the intent to hurt our members."

Premier Daniel Andrews thanked the thousands of police officers who worked to stop the protests, saying they did an "outstanding job".

"I think police did us proud yesterday," he said.

Mr Andrews said no one "had the right to put someone else in hospital", whether that was through spreading the COVID-19 virus or through acts of violence.

He said the protestors needed to realise, "it's a pandemic, not a popularity contest" and that protests would not achieve anything.

The violence came after 2000 police gathered and locked down the CBD yesterday morning in a bid to shut down the planned anti-lockdown protests.

Hundreds of demonstrators – many of whom are not wearing masks – then gathered in the inner suburb of Richmond at about 12pm, in a move apparently designed to avoid police.

Police initially estimated between 6000 and 7000 would attend the anti-lockdown protests in the CBD but only about 500 to 700 protesters were there today.

Ten police officers were injured, with six taken to hospital.

The officers sustained a range of injuries including torn muscles, a broken elbow, a broken nose, a broken finger and bruising.

Police arrested 235 people, including 193 for breaching COVID-19 restrictions

Others were detained for other offences, including allegedly assaulting police as well as drug and weapons offences.

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