Melbourne readies to exit world's longest Covid-19 lockdown

Published
0

Millions in Melbourne are readying to come out of the world's longest Covid-19 lockdown even as cases hover near record levels, with pubs, restaurants and cafes rushing to restock supplies before opening their doors.

Since early August, residents in Australia's second-largest city have been in lockdown — their sixth during the pandemic — to quell an outbreak fuelled by the highly infectious Delta strain.

Officials had promised to lift lockdowns once double-dose vaccinations for people aged above 16 exceeded 70 per cent in Victoria state, of which Melbourne is the capital.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has confirmed the state had reached that target, with more restrictions set to ease as inoculations hit 80pc and 90pc, Reuters reported.

Opinion

Editorial

Risks ahead
Updated 02 Oct, 2026

Risks ahead

To think that the government would rather push out an elected government than grant a single prisoner some facilities does not square up rationally.
Exit from Iraq
02 Oct, 2026

Exit from Iraq

AMERICAN and British troops have once again shipped out of Iraq. On Wednesday, the foreign forces left the Arab...
Lahore’s ozone warning
02 Oct, 2026

Lahore’s ozone warning

LAHORE has received another warning that its air pollution crisis cannot be treated as a problem that begins with...
Fixing bond markets
Updated 01 Oct, 2026

Fixing bond markets

Pension funds, insurance companies, mutual funds, retail investors, and eventually, foreign investors must become bigger participants in the market.
Call centre rackets
01 Oct, 2026

Call centre rackets

A NUMBER of recent raids conducted by the authorities in different cities point to the growing threat fraudulent ...
Homeward bound
01 Oct, 2026

Homeward bound

FIVE months after Somali pirates captured an oil tanker carrying a 19-member multinational crew, Somali maritime...