The Age reports New Zealand has extended its pause on quarantine-free travel with Victoria until next Friday, when the state’s lockdown ends. Furthermore, anyone who has arrived in NZ from the greater Melbourne area between May 20 and May 24 must self-isolate at home for 14 days, and get tested.
NSW and Queensland have issued new alerts in response to the Victorian lockdown, with Queensland declaring Victoria a hotspot from 1am AEST Friday.
You can’t fix stupid! 
What’s the go with construction and all levels of staff involved with construction? Right down to site offices and subcontractor working in offices?
https://www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/coronavirus-update-victoria-27-may-2021
Victoria was notified of 12 new cases of coronavirus yesterday.
All are locally acquired cases linked to the current outbreak.
This brings the total number of locally acquired cases in current outbreak to 26.
There were no reported cases in returned international travellers in hotel quarantine.
There is one COVID-19 case in hospital in Victoria. This case was in ICU but has now moved back to the ward.
The 12 new cases linked to the City of Whittlesea and Port Melbourne Workplace outbreaks are in three men aged in their 40s, four men aged in their 30s, two menaged in their 20s and three women aged in their 20s.
Extensive contact tracing continues for all the individuals who have tested positive to COVID-19 and new public exposures sites are being identified.
As of this morning, the Department had identified around 14,000 people who are either required to quarantine for 14 days, or test and isolate until negative.
This is likely to increase with further public exposure sites published at Case alerts - public exposure sites.
This list does not include small, private or closed exposure sites such as Uber rides or medical appointments.
The four exposure sites at nightclubs in Prahran and South Yarra remain a significant concern to public health officials, and the Department calls on the public to come forward or advise any friends who they know visited these sites.
As of 1pm today, 96 contacts were linked to the Stratton Finance exposure site. All positive cases detected in this outbreak so far are in staff. A total of 84 staff have been identified as contacts, all have been tested with 82 returning negative results so far.
Anyone who has symptoms of COVID-19 – such as fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose, chills or sweats, or change in sense of smell or taste – get a test immediately.
Acting on public health advice, the Victorian Government has announced new circuit breaker restrictions that will come into force from 11.59pm tonight.
You can view details of these new restrictions and today’s statement from the Acting Premier.
A total of 12,677 COVID-19 vaccination doses were administered yesterday by state commissioned services across Victoria.
This brings the total number of vaccine doses administered by the Department as of yesterday to 398,009.
There has been an encouraging response from Victorians over the past two days to get vaccinated.
Getting a vaccination is one of the five reasons you can leave your home under the new circuit breaker restrictions.
Victorians who are eligible to receive a vaccine should take this opportunity to protect themselves and their loved ones.
From tomorrow, Friday 28 May, all Victorians aged 40-49 years will be able to access the Pfizer vaccine at state-run vaccination centres, in line with advice from the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation.
People in this age group must book an appointment by calling the Coronavirus Hotline on 1800 675 398. Not all vaccination centres will have the Pfizer vaccine available.
Victorians aged 50 years and over will continue to receive the AstraZeneca vaccine either through a state-run vaccination centre or a participating GP clinic.
This morning, the phone hotline received over 77,000 calls in a 15-minute window.
This significant demand unfortunately caused a number of technical issues which network providers have been successfully restoring throughout the day – and more resources will be added.
The Department is grateful for everyone’s enthusiasm and patience.
More than 40,000 tests were processed yesterday.
196 testing centres are operating in Victoria and 40 of those centres are operating with new or extended operating hours.
Additional staffing and more lanes have been opened at key COVID-19 testing sites in response to the significant increased demand.
In the past 72 hours, 15 new testing centres have been opened around Victoria and a further six new testing centres are being established today in Brighton, Werribee, Ascot Vale, Cheltenham, East Reservoir and Coburg.
The Department is publishing expected wait times at testing sites as well as updated information about locations and hours of operation at Where to get tested.
Getting tested is vital to the success of our response to the current outbreak. We request that people who need to be tested use this website and select a nearby testing centre that has the shortest wait times.
Yesterday, we reported that a returned traveller from overseas, who stayed in Hotel Quarantine interstate, presented to the Ballarat Health Service on Tuesday night and had returned a weak positive test result.
Out of an abundance of caution, precautionary measures were put in place at the health service and the individual was isolated.
Further testing has confirmed a negative result and all public health actions have been stood down.
Tasmanian Government declared the whole of Victoria as a COVID hotspot as of 2pm today.
I have mixed feelings this time around. It’s shit that we’re back in this position, it’s shit knowing that we’re only in this position because of another state’s failure, then they had the audacity to close their border.
I’m looking at this as a mini holiday similar to how I looked at the February one. Being forced to slowdown, relax and look after myself. I’m lucky to still be earning a wage during this period, not many will and not many businesses will survive this period unfortunately, which probably hurts more than anything at the moment.
Stay safe, follow the rules and look after one another Victorian’s.
Wow that would have to be a record number of daily tests so to only come out with 4 new cases is pretty incredible. I was fearing a lot more. Maybe we can get on top of this in the next couple of days.
That is also a huge jump in vaccine numbers. Good to see.
Considering all the factors (record high testing numbers and now lockdown) only 4 new cases is very promising. Victoria’s going to get on top of this I’m sure.
Does anyone know when the press conference will be today?
Merlino said he would get vaccinated today as he is in the 40-49 age range (he turns 49 in August).
77,000 calls to the COVID hotline in the span of 15 minutes yesterday. Suddenly everyone is in a rush for the vaccine, I’ve had family, friends and co-workers all suddenly wanting to prioritise getting it. This is the best thing that can come out of this situation. Time to significantly ramp it up.
According to The Age live blog, Austin Health in Melbourne’s north is completely booked out for appointments for Pfizer vaccines until the end of June.
A spokesman for the hospital said a mass vaccine clinic running out of Heidelberg Repatriation Hospital was fully booked for the next month after being inundated with calls from Melburnians aged 40 to 49 yesterday racing to get their shots as eligibility was widened.
I’m sure they have additional locations that they can open up for mass vaccination, providing there’s sufficient supply of the vaccine available.