National vaccination targets of 70 and 80 per cent have been hammered at all coronavirus briefings the past week.

The prime minister is saying it, the premiers are repeating it, it's a message floating across the airwaves.

If someone is talking COVID-19, you're going to hear references to 70 and 80 per cent.

READ MORE: National Plan targets threaten to divide Australia

Under the National Plan, which is a source of contention, particularly in Western Australia and Queensland, once those numbers of fully vaccinated eligible people are hit, Australia will open up.

Among a raft of other tweaks and loosening of restrictions, international flights are touted to resume, home quarantine will become the norm and punishing lockdowns will be a thing of the past.

So, where are we at?

Just over 7,200,000 Australians, or 35 per cent of the country aged over 16, are now double-dosed, according to government data.

Across the country yesterday, 276,000 doses of the vaccine were put in the arms of Aussies.

The rollout, for so long plagued by problems of supply and muddled messaging, is now gathering pace.

Australia is fast closing in on a total of 20,000,000 doses administered nationally in the 190 days since the rollout began.

READ MORE: China's economy is being rattled by the Delta variant

Prime Minister Scott Morrison yesterday hailed Tasmania for topping the table for fully vaccinated people and New South Wales in single doses administered.

Yes, it seems we are in a race – and always were, according to leading epidemiologists and virus experts.

Let's break down each state and territory, to see how the rollout is progressing.

New South Wales

By far, NSW has put the most doses in people's arms – 6,923,000 jabs.

That's 68.2 per cent first doses and 37.1 per cent a second jab.

Yesterday, NSW health workers administered a whopping 148,000 doses.

That sort of speed has meant NSW is on course to hit 70 per cent by the middle of October, a week or two earlier than expected.

Victoria

With a total of 4,911,000 doses, Victoria has fully vaccinated 34.7 per cent of the eligible population, with 56.1 per cent on one jab.

Yesterday more than 41,000 doses were administered.

EXPLAINED: Full list of restrictions easing in Victoria, pathway out of lockdown revealed

Queensland

Some 31.1 per cent of Queenslanders have had two jabs, and 50.6 per cent a single dose.

Yesterday, 34,600 doses were put in the arms of Queenslanders.

MORE: What happened to countries who opened up during COVID

South Australia

A total of 1,252,000 doses have been administered in South Australia, with 34.2 per cent of the population now fully vaccinated.

Just over 52 per cent have had a single shot.

Yesterday, a total 14,400 doses were given out.

Western Australia

Of all the states and territory leaders, Premier Mark McGowan has shown the most resistance to the National Plan targets.

Nonetheless, Western Australia is running in time with the rest of the country, with 31.5 fully vaccinated and 50.4 per cent on a single dose.

More than 22,200 doses were administered yesterday.

Australian Capital Territory

The ACT is near the top of single and double doses in the country.

Just over 41 per cent are fully vaccinated and 64.6 per cent have had a single shot.

Yesterday, 8500 jabs were completed.

Northern Territory

In the NT, 55 per cent of people have had one shot, and 37.7 per cent are now double-dosed.

NT yesterday administered 1898 vaccines.

Tasmania

With 42.1 per cent of its population double-jabbed, Tasmania is leading the way.

Just over 59 per cent of Tasmanians have had one dose.

Yesterday, 5150 doses were administered.

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Victoria's coronavirus lockdown has been extended until approximately September 23 – the date when 70 per cent of Victorians are expected to have received at least one vaccine dose.

While Victorians will be able to enjoy greater freedoms once the target is met, Premier Daniel Andrews confirmed there would be minor changes to the current rules as of 11.59pm on September 2.

Here is the state's plan to exit lockdown and what's changing:

LIVE UPDATES: Victoria's pathway out of coronavirus lockdown

Playgrounds reopen

From 11.59pm on September 2, playgrounds will reopen with strict rules.

They will open for children aged under 12 only and only one parent or carer is permitted at the grounds.

Adults are not allowed to remove their masks to eat or drink. Playgrounds will also have QR codes for checking in.

Home care

In-home care, such as babysitters, will also be expanded to school-aged children, but only if both parents are authorised workers.

READ MORE: Lockdown extended until Victoria reaches vaccine target

Restrictions to ease once vaccine threshold met

Once Victoria reaches the vaccine threshold of 70 per cent, the five-kilometre travel radius will expand to 10-kilometres. This means Victorians will be able to shop and exercise further away.

Victorians will be able to exercise for an additional hour, for up to three hours a day.

Outdoor personal training will be permitted with up to two people plus the trainer.

Outdoor communal gym equipment and skateparks will also reopen.

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Private inspections of unoccupied premises – for the purchase of a new house or end of lease – will be permitted, but only one household may attend at a time. The agent must stay outdoors during the inspection.

Construction sites will also be able to increase to 50 per cent capacity where 90 per cent of their workforce have received at least one vaccine dose.

However, the five reasons to leave home including shopping for food and supplies, medical care or caregiving, getting vaccinated, authorisied work or study that can't be done from home and exercise will still apply.

When will Victoria reach the vaccine threshold?

Chief Health Officer Professor Brett Sutton said the restrictions were necessary until the state reached the 70 per cent first dose vaccination threshold.

Victoria is on track to reach the first dose vaccination threshold in about three weeks.

"To ensure we stay protected, we do have to have these restrictions in place until that first dose reaches 70 per cent of the eligible population," Professor Sutton said.

"That is about three weeks away – it could be faster. With those 70,000 additional AstraZeneca appointments that could be filled, it could be faster."

Professor Sutton said the vaccine threshold was a "light at the end of the tunnel" for the state.

"Absolutely it's tough and three weeks seems like an eternity," he said.

"It is the genuine pathway out of here that means that we can take those small steps forward, bit by bit, and not have to take backward steps again."

Victoria is due to meet the 70 per cent double dose vaccination threshold in October and the 80 per cent double dose threshold in early November.

Currently about 56 per cent of Victorians have received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, with about 35 per cent fully vaccinated.

READ MORE: Morrison indicates home quarantine plan for overseas travel

Will vaccinated Victorians get more freedoms?

The Victorian Government will consider giving fully vaccinated people more freedoms, Mr Andrews said.

"We will, but not when there is only 35 per cent," he said.

"That is the problem."

The premier mentioned he had a meeting with Prime Minister Scott Morrison tonight that would touch on what vaccine passports may look like.

READ MORE: By state and territory, how quickly Australia is vaccinating

Why has lockdown been extended in Victoria?

Mr Andrews today said the health advice had changed due to COVID-19 infections spiking over the past two days in the state.

The premier said the state recording 120 new local cases of coronavirus today meant "the depth of the seeding of this outbreak had become clear".

"The chief health officer's advice to me and the government has changed," he said.

"The data and the evidence and the experts are very clear with us -we will not see these case numbers go down, they are going to go up.

"The question is by how many and how fast."

If Victoria eased restrictions substantially now, the state would risk cases skyrocketing, Mr Andrews said.

"We can't ease restrictions today in any profound way," he said.

"I don't think anyone was expecting that, but it's simply not possible. In fact, we are in for a difficult time, a challenging time over these coming weeks."

Schools to remain closed

Students in metropolitan Melbourne will not return to classrooms for Term 3, but regional students could go back to face-to-face learning earlier.

The premier said no decision has been made about when regional students could potentially return to classrooms.

Mr Andrews said he would also provide a detailed plan outlining what Term 4 would look like next week.

"I'm not in a position to be able to outline that at the moment," he said.

Year 12 students will be given priority access to Pfizer vaccines, with schools set to reach out to families between September 7 and 17.

READ MORE: NSW records 1116 cases and four more deaths

Lockdown could end sooner in regional Victoria

Regional Victoria's lockdown could potentially end next week, Mr Andrews said.

A decision on what restrictions could ease in regional Victoria is expected to be made in the coming week.

However, Shepparton would probably be excluded from the easing of regional restrictions.

Seven of today's coronavirus cases were in regional Victoria, including five in Shepparton.

"We think we will be able to end the lockdown in the rest of regional Victoria next week," Mr Andrews said.

"There will be an opening up, but there will be significant restrictions, substantial restrictions, on what can occur.

"But with the exception of Shepparton, because it may need to be treated differently for a period of time, until we've cleared all of those cases and then they would be able to rejoin the rest of regional Victoria."

Professor Sutton said the coronavirus outbreaks in regional Victoria were "on the right track" and restrictions could ease sooner in the regions.

"We'll continue to assess the day-to-day epidemiology and as the Premier said in regional Victoria, it is on the right track," Professor Sutton said.

"It is looking much more positive and we'll make a decision in the coming week on exactly what we can do in regional Victoria."

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Victoria's lockdown has been extended until 70 per cent of residents have their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine.

Premier Daniel Andrews has allowed playgrounds to re-open from 11.59pm tomorrow but said the risk was too high to reduce other restrictions until the vaccination milestone had been reached, which is expected to be on September 23.

Once the vaccination target has been hit, the five-kilometre travel radius will be expanded to 10-kilometres, more exercise will be allowed and construction sites can also go to 50 per cent capacity.

EXPLAINED: Full list of restrictions easing in Victoria, pathway out of lockdown revealed

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In home care, like babysitters, will be allowed from 11.59pm tomorrow for school-aged children, but only if both parents are authorised workers.

"That's as far as we can go in terms of changes effective from midnight tomorrow night. Everything else has to stay in place until on or about the 23rd of September when we get first dose 70 per cent across our state," Mr Andrews said.

Other restrictions to be eased after the target is reached includes the reopening of communal gym equipment and skate parks, the return of outdoor personal training and private inspections of properties for a new purchase or an end of a lease.

READ MORE: NSW records 1116 cases and four more deaths

Mr Andrews has also advised that children will not return to classrooms in Term 3 in metropolitan Melbourne and more would be announced on what would take place in Term 4 next week.

He said the situation on schools in regional Victoria would be announced next week.

The state's first priority was to give Year 12 students at least one dose of the Pfizer vaccine as soon as possible and from September 7, schools would reach out to students with a "detailed plan" of how they would be vaccinated at state hubs with priority access.

"We are very confident that we will be able to get all of our Year 12 students vaccinated at least one dose by October 5," Mr Andrews said.

Mr Andrews confirmed the general achievement test (GAT) had been rescheduled for October 5.

Victoria recorded 120 new local cases of COVID-19 today.

Of today's cases, 64 have been linked to known cases and outbreaks, while the state's total number of active cases has reached 900.

The announcements come after a meeting of senior ministers last night about the new plan and specific targets to trigger the staged relaxation of restrictions.

READ MORE: Two women with COVID-19 die in Victoria

Mr Andrews said it was hoped lockdown in regional Victoria – excluding the Shepparton area – would be able to end from next week.

"Exactly when, we will confirm as soon as we can," he said. "But there will be an opening up."

Shepparton would need to be "treated differently" to the rest of regional Victoria for some time, Mr Andrews added.

All Victorians have been urged to fill the available AstraZeneca vaccine appointments, as a shortage of Pfizer is expected in the coming months.

"It is a long time off before we will have Pfizer for everybody who perhaps wants it," Mr Andrews said.

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He added said the AstraZeneca vaccine was the "best vaccine" for many Victorians.

"It is a safe vaccine. It is an effective vaccine. It is the vaccine that is available now and that means for the vast majority of people, it is the best vaccine right now," he said.

Chief Health Officer Professor Brett Sutton said Victoria seeing a steady increase in daily case numbers wasn't due to Victorians not working hard to stop the spread of COVID-19.

"It's not to say that the efforts aren't as substantial as they've always been," Professor Sutton said.

"It's a recognition of the reality of Delta."

Victoria's new COVID-19 cases

Victoria's 120 new cases include:

• Seven cases in regional Victoria, including five in Shepparton which were in insolation for their entire infectious period, one in Seymour and one in Geelong
• Six cases are in the inner south-east around Richmond, Hawthorn, and Alphington.
• 53 cases in the northern suburbs. Particularly a cluster around Campbellfield, Roxburgh Park, and Gladstone Park
• 54 cases are in the western suburbs. With around 16 around Altona North, there are three in Newport, and another seven in Hoppers Crossing

One of the new deaths, a woman in her 60s from Hume, who passed away with COVID-19 yesterday had been only been infectious for two weeks.

The other death was a woman in her 40s who passed away in her Darebin home.

The new COVID-19 fatalities mark the first in the state in almost a year, since October 18 2020.

In the last 24 hours, 56,501 Victorians came forward for testing. A total of 2,449,255 vaccine doses have now been administered in the state.

Melbourne Lord Mayor Sally Capp said she was hopeful small businesses, in particular, would get "clarity" from today's announcement.

"We do understand we have ongoing responsibilities to reduce the spread of the virus, but we are looking for clarity on when we can start easing restrictions and what that means, particularly for small business owners," Ms Capp told Today.

"Everybody wants to be able to have a bit more freedom outside, including being able to access outdoor exercise equipment and children's playgrounds.

"But for our small business owners, if it is not that we are opening tomorrow, that is understandable. But can there be some clarity on what the steps look like to reopening?

"The toll on business owners and their teams, of not having some sort of clarity on the way forward is very deep."

READ MORE: How Australia's 80 per cent vaccine target matches up globally

Meanwhile, a new vaccination hub has opened this morning at the Melbourne Town Hall.

It will initially be prioritising vulnerable groups including the homeless and refugees, before opening to the wider community in the near future.