Victorian residential aged care workers must now be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, while the state’s new infections rate appears to be easing.

November 15, 2021

All Victorian residential aged care staff must now be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to go to work.

The deadline passed overnight as the state continues to manage more than 17,300 active cases.

The rate of new infections eased over the weekend, with 905 locally acquired cases added on Sunday or more than 300 fewer than the previous day.

There were also four more virus-related deaths, of people aged in their 40, 70s and 80s.

Across Victoria, 87 per cent of people aged 12 and over are double vaccinated.

Controversial mandates, which sparked violent protests among construction sector employees across Melbourne in September, require about one million of Victoria’s essential workers in total to be double-jabbed by November 26.

Anyone with a valid medical exemption will be able to continue working.

Meanwhile, the state government will direct $20 million to help reignite the state’s live music and festival scene.

Musicians and industry professionals will be encouraged back to work with an $8 million live show program.

Festivals will also receive $8 million to assist with recovery from the impact of rescheduled and cancelled events, and $4 million will be used to fund performances in Melbourne’s CBD and inner-city.

An Australian-first event interruption insurance product will also give organisers of festivals, business conferences and sporting and community events confidence to plan and stage future events.

It comes as the Vic government and Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry set up a new initiative to encourage businesses to be COVID safe.

Advisers will attend workplaces, ask about key topics and share feedback and strategies.

No penalties will apply to businesses found in need of advice on check-in systems, distancing arrangements and the like.

“It’s not about criticising, shaming or dobbing them in,” said VCCI chief executive Paul Guerra.

“It’s about getting as many businesses as possible to the point where they can safely operate according to the government mandates.”