Eleven deaths in Victoria as 1749 new COVID-19 cases recorded

In the larger regional outbreaks there were 24 new cases in Latrobe overnight, 18 in Greater Geelong, 18 in Baw Baw and 13 new cases in Wodonga.

Across Victoria there are 784 people who are currently in hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 149 are in intensive care and 100 are on a ventilator.

88 per cent of the patients in hospital with COVID-19 are not fully vaccinated, and of the cases in intensive care yesterday, 96 per cent of those were not fully vaccinated.

Premier Daniel Andrews encouraged those who can bring their second vaccine appointment forward to do so.

"They are statistics but they really are stories of individuals who are very, very unwell and one thing that they all have in common is that they have not been protected by two doses of any of the three vaccines that are available as never before to Victorians right across the state," Premier Andrews said.

"Or to put it another way, if you don't want to finish up in hospital, then access one of those three vaccines; they will keep you safe, they will keep you well, they will keep you out of hospital and they will help us all to reach our national plan targets and to be open."

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89.4 per cent of the Victorian population 16 and over have now had a first dose of one of the COVID-19 vaccines and 67.2 per cent have had both the first and second dose.

Premier Andrews said the state was well-placed to reach its target of 70 per cent double dosed and to open up as of 11:59pm Thursday evening.

"There are literally tens of thousands of spots available over the coming week in state clinics, in community pharmacies and in GP surgeries.

"There it has never been easier in many ways to either complete your vaccination journey or, indeed, to begin it."

The Premier said hospitality staff need to be double vaccinated when venues open on Friday.

"The number of patrons that are allowed in the easing that we have done is predicated on people being double-dose vaccinated," he said.

"I don't think that anyone would find fault with the logic that says if I must be double-dosed to sit down and order a beer or a glass of wine, then the person who serves me needs to be double-dosed as well," he said.

"So it is just very important that we try to be as consistent as possible and I apologise if there has been any confusion."

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said Victorians who are unvaccinated will not be allowed to have the freedoms enjoyed by vaccinated people well into next year.

"This will be well into 2022. Then we're going to get into booster issues that won't be your first and second dose, it will be, have you had your third? Then the other issue will be, well, who knows what [other] variant is coming?

"The virus will be here for a long time and your only protection against it as being vaccinated."

The Premier said the Grand Prix, which is in April, will likely have crowds made up of people who are fully vaccinated.

"Please don't play that game of let's just wait it out and then we will be able to do everything we want to do and have not got jabbed.

"No, that will not be the case here and if you make that choice, it will be a very long wait and you won't out-wait this virus."

A $21 million package will boost tailored support for Victorians who may face additional barriers to vaccination - including people living with disability, at risk youth, seniors, culturally diverse and multi-faith communities, social housing residents and victim survivors of family violence.

This includes $13 million to support children, older people, carers, families and clients with complex needs - including young people in the child protection system and social housing residents, as well as Victorians living in other accommodation settings such as supported residential services.

Agencies will receive funding to help book appointments, promote existing transport options or arrange alternatives, or offer respite or occasional childcare in suburbs with low vaccine uptake.

A further $1.2 million will deliver community-led and culturally specific vaccine support by culturally and linguistically diverse groups. This support could include, for example, transport, information or childcare.

On top of that, $2.5 million will go towards trusted volunteer-based organisations such as neighbourhood houses, men's sheds and multicultural community organisations, to encourage and support people to get vaccinated.

Earlier, 9am: Victoria has recorded 1749 new cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to midnight.

The state also recorded 11 deaths.

There were 36,751 vaccinations administered in the past day, while 4,234,036 have been given in total.

98,702 tests were conducted in the past 24 hours.

Victoria's COVID-19 commander has suggested businesses split staff into separate groups to avoid entire workforces being knocked out by the virus as the state reopens.

With the state already managing more than 61,000 primary close contacts, Jeroen Weimar said the changes would minimise the impact of reopening on businesses and customers.

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"It's not our intention to be in a world where ... every person in a pub is (a close contact) because one positive case has walked in for 15 minutes," he told reporters on Monday.

It is recommended businesses split workforces into separate groups to avoid their entire staff being out of action for a week.

"It is exceptionally likely that come Thursday there will still be 22,000 people with COVID in the state," Mr Weimar said.

Nationally, plans to reopen Australia's internal and international borders are accelerating, with the country on the cusp of a 70 per cent full vaccination threshold.

The Queensland government has announced its borders will open in time for Christmas regardless of whether the state has double-dosed 80 per cent of residents aged 16 and older.

Fully vaccinated people will be able to enter Victoria from "red zones" from Wednesday without quarantining for two weeks as long as they return a negative COVID-19 test 72 hours before arriving.

Quarantine-free travel is also slated to resume between NSW, Victoria and New Zealand's South Island from Wednesday.

Passengers arriving in Australia must be fully vaccinated, unless they are younger than 12 or have a medical exemption, and return a negative test no more than 72 hours before departure.

The federal government has been in discussions with Singapore about a possible "green lane" travel bubble between the two nations.

- with Australian Associated Press