Covid-19 News Updates

COVID restrictions to ease in Melbourne from midnight tomorrow

Melburnians will once again be able to travel into Victorian regional areas when the intra-state border comes down from 11.59pm tomorrow.

In addition, a raft of restrictions in both Greater Melbourne and the state's regions will be eased tomorrow night, allowing larger public gatherings, increased capacities for hospitality businesses, and the reopening of gyms.

It comes after the state recorded five new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, including two announced yesterday afternoon and a further three linked to current outbreaks.

This latest outbreak led to an apartment complex in Southbank being placed into lockdown yesterday after an Arcare worker who lived at the complex tested positive and transmitted the virus to another resident.

Concurrently, South Australian health officials announced yesterday the state's border would soon reopen to those living in regional Victoria.

Once that change is in place, people entering SA from regional Victoria will still need to be tested for COVID-19 upon entry, but the conditions will be more relaxed on the border.

Further, with the snow season rapidly approaching, those intending on travelling to Victorian resorts must get tested at least 72 hours before departure and receive a negative result.

Restrictions to ease

From 11.59pm tomorrow several restrictions in Victoria will ease, with the rules differing for Greater Melbourne and the state's regions.

For Melbourne the following restrictions will ease:

• The 25km travel limit will be removed
• Public gatherings will be allowed for up to 20 people
• Gatherings in the home will be allowed with up to two visitors per day plus their dependants
• A number of businesses will reopen including gyms, indoor entertainment and electronic gaming with density limits and a COVIDsafe plan in place
• Hospitality venues can welcome 25 patrons before applying a density quotient
• Melburnians are still encouraged to work from home, but office sites can accommodate up to 50 per cent or 20 people, whichever is greater
• Community sport competitions will resume
• Masks are still recommended outdoors but remain mandatory for indoor settings

For regional Victoria the following restrictions will ease:

• Public gatherings will increase to up to 50 people
• Restaurants and cafes will have a maximum of 300 patrons for seated dining
• Smaller hospitality venues will have up to 25 people before any density quotient applies
• Religious ceremonies will have a maximum of 300 people in attendance
• Funerals will have 100 people in attendance
• Weddings will have 50 people in attendance
• Office sites will have up to 75 per cent of capacity on site, or 30 people whichever is greater
• Up to five adults will be allowed to visit another home per day plus their dependants

In addition, the state government is permitting a crowd of 7,000 people at the Geelong AFL game this weekend, provided all attendees are local and members of the two clubs playing.

These settings will be in place for the next seven days.

Updated at 12.47pm AEST on 16 June 2021.

Victoria pledges $20 million in grants for lockdown-hit events sector

The Victorian Government has stepped up to provide $20 million in support to events businesses in the state that were impacted by the May-June 2021 COVID-19 restrictions on the sector.

New support grants are up for grabs as part of the Victorian Events Support Package, designed to support the industry that was suddenly closed down due to the state's most recent lockdown.

The package delivers grants in five areas and is part of more than $500 million allocated by the state government to businesses over the past two weeks.

The Sustainable Events Business Program provides payments of up to $250,000 to major event organisers, hosts and suppliers who have had the ongoing viability of their event or business significantly affected during the restrictions that began in late May.

Successful applicants must have most of their operations in Victoria and have experienced a minimum 50 per cent decline in annual turnover in the three months prior to 27 May 2021 compared with the same period in 2019.

They will also have a payroll of more than $3 million in metropolitan Melbourne or $500,000 in regional Victoria.

The Impacted Public Events Support Program will deliver grants of $25,000 to event organisers and $10,000 to suppliers of Tier 1 and Tier 2 events - events with crowds above 1,001 people - that have incurred costs as a direct result of the recent public health restrictions.

Victoria's cinemas will benefit from the Independent Cinemas Support Program, which provides eligible independent operators required to close due to restrictions with a payment of $12,000 per cinema venue.

Producers of live performance events are eligible for up to $7,000 under the Live Performance Support Program - Presenters. Suppliers to live performance events are eligible for up to $500 per event, with a maximum of four events, under the Live Performance Support Program - Suppliers.

Promoters, venues, producers and artists who promote their own shows are eligible to apply for the Live Performance Support Programs, along with contracted suppliers such as artists, performers, technicians and other crew members.

Applications for the grants will open shortly at business.vic.gov.au/events-support.

Updated at 12.06pm AEST on 15 June 2021.

New COVID case on the Sunshine Coast after woman travelled from Melbourne

Update (10 July): The husband of the positive COVID-19 case has tested positive to the virus after previously testing negative, which leads health authorities to believe both individuals are towards the end of their infectious period. The man's parents have also tested negative to the virus, as has one other person out of a list of 17 immediate contacts.

Queensland Health Minister Yvette D'Ath has confirmed a new COVID-19 case on the Sunshine Coast after a 44-year-old drove with her partner from Melbourne and yesterday got tested for the virus.

The Queensland Government held a press conference this afternoon after the test came up positive today, confirming the individual had travelled through NSW, and visited the Goondiwindi McDonald's and a Caltex in Toowoomba on the morning of 5 June on her way to Caloundra.

In Queensland itself the individual visited these listed venues on the days that followed:

• Sunnys @ Moffatt, Caloundra - 2:45-3pm (6 June)
• Coffee Cat on Kings Beach - 3:30-4:30pm (6 June)
• Stockland Shopping Centre, Caloundra (specifically The Coffee Club and Kmart) - 10:45-11:30am (7 June)
• Bunnings Caloundra - 12:10-12:45pm (7 June)
• Kawana Shoppingworld (Foodcourt and female toilets near JB Hi-Fi) - 1-2pm (7 June)
• Female toilets near IGA Baringa - 3:50-4:10pm (8 June)

"These are only initial sites. We will be getting more sites as we talk to the lady and her family," says Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young.

"We'll be putting those up on the website. It's very, very important that people please check them.

"I know that people in the Sunshine Coast have always been fantastic at getting tested. We've always seen large numbers come out - there are more places that you can be tested and hours are extending, so please come forward and get tested."

The woman left Melbourne on 1 June, and this evening NSW Health has confirmed that between that date and her arrival in QLD she stopped at places in Gillenbah, Forbes, Dubbo and Moree, signing in to several venues using QR codes.

This evening NSW Health published a list of venues she visited over that five-day period. These include Caltex Narrandera in Gillenbah and the Vandenberg Hotel in Forbes on 1 June; the Brew Coffee Bar in Forbes and several locations in Dubbo over 2-3 June including CSC - Church Street Cafe, Reading Cinemas Dubbo and the Homestead Motel; and a few locations in Moree between 3-5 June including Gwydir Carpark/Motel & Thermal Pools, Cafe Omega and the Amaroo Tavern.

Earlier today the state's authorities also advised Woolworths Moree and the Shell Petrol Station in Dubbo were potential exposure sites. 

"Anyone who lives in or has visited these areas since 1 June, is asked to be especially vigilant for the onset of even the mildest of cold-like symptoms, and is urged to come forward for testing immediately if they appear, then isolate until a negative result is received," NSW Health reported.

"NSW Health will be providing pop-up clinics and extended hours at existing clinics to support increased testing for the communities in these areas."

Dr Young believes the person may have been infectious since 1 June because she displayed symptoms on 3 June.

"I'm waiting for serology results to see how long she's had this infection," Dr Young said.

"She may have been infectious while travelling through NSW, so I am working with my colleagues in NSW to work through that."

In other news, Queensland authorities have responded to changes announced today for easing restrictions in Victoria, opting to open the border to travellers coming from regional Victoria from 1am this Friday, 11 June.

"But those in the Greater Melbourne area, which will be 31 local government authorities, will still require an exemption to be able to travel to Queensland if they're a non-resident, and if they are a resident they will be required to go into hotel quarantine," Minister D'Ath said.

Originally published at 4:11pm AEST on 9 June 2021, updated at 8:20pm AEST.

Victoria to lift lockdown, flags compulsory QR codes in all workplaces

Victorian Acting Premier James Merlino has announced Melbourne's lockdown will end on 11:59pm tomorrow night, but masks will still be mandatory indoors and authorities are also planning to make QR codes required in all workplaces.

"This is a good day. Everyone should be absolutely proud of what we've all achieved together, but we know that this isn't over yet," Merlino said after just one new locally acquired case was reported today.

This takes the total number of cases linked to the latest outbreak to 68, with the Acting Premier encouraged by the fact 28,000 Victorians got tested for COVID-19 yesterday.

"Thanks to these very high testing numbers our public health team are getting a better sense of these outbreaks that are moving through our community," he said.

On the advice of Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton, the State Government will remove the five-reasons-to-leave home rule from tomorrow night and extend the 10km travel limit to 25km.

"That means the only reasons to go further than 25 kilometers will be for work, education, caregiving or getting a vaccination," he said.

"Travel into regional Victoria still remains a no-go for now," he clarified, noting that if all goes to plan the division between the capital and the rest of the state would be lifted at 11:59pm next Thursday, 17 June.

Merlino noted people would be able to return to offices in Melbourne at a 25 per cent or a cap of 10, whichever is greater, although the government was still asking people to work from home where possible.

Restaurants and cafes can reopen for seated service with up to 100 people per venue with a maximum of 50 inside, while retail can reopen in line with density limits of one person per four square metres.

Hair and beauty therapy can also resume for treatments where masks can be worn, schools will resume face-to-face learning on Friday, and masks will no longer be required outdoors unless you cannot maintain a 1.5-metre distance.

Some businesses such as gyms, amusement parks, dance studios and nightclubs will need to remain closed for a little while longer. In an attempt to alleviate the impacts, the Acting Premier has announced a further $8.36 million to provide an additional $2,000 grant to support thousands of businesses that are eligible for the Business Cost Assistance Program that remain closed under the restrictions announced today.

Unless there is an exemption by the Federal Government or Australia's Chief Medical Officer maintains the declaration of Melbourne as a hotspot, workers in the aforementioned industries would be unlikely to have access to the COVID-19 disaster payment as outlined by the Prime Minister last week.

"Another thing I want to put on people's radar is in regards to QR codes. On the advice of the Chief Health Officer we will be moving to make QR check-ins compulsory for all workplaces with very limited exemptions," Merlino said.

"Previously it's only been mandatory for customer-facing businesses, but through this outbreak we have seen a number of cases occur in office settings, so we want to take the next step on this.

"We will be looking to consult with industry over the next few days around implementation, and we'll finalise the details next week ahead of the requirements coming into effect."

New settings for regional Victoria

Regional Victoria's already relaxed settings will also improve from 11:59pm tomorrow, with visitors allowed at the home at a maximum of two people and their dependants per day, and gatherings of up to 20 will be allowed in contrast to the limit of 10 for Greater Melbourne.

Restaurants and cafes in regional Victoria will be able to have a maximum of 150 people per venue with seated service, and no more than 75 allowed outdoors. Offices will remain capped at 50 per cent and community sport will be back for all ages both for training and competition.

"Finally, regional Victorians will still be able to travel around regional Victoria, Melburnians will not," Merlino said.

Updated at 12:06pm AEST on 9 July 2021.

PM announces $500 per week package for some lockdown-hit workers

Workers affected by state-imposed COVID-19 lockdown periods that last longer than a week may be eligible to take up a support payment from the Federal Government aimed at assisting those left without any income.

However, the temporary COVID disaster payment can only be taken up by those living pay cheque to pay cheque. People with liquid assets of $10,000 or greater are completely left out of the plan. 

This implies aspirational homeowners who are still saving for their deposits will not receive this support, in contrast to some peers who already own homes and spent the equivalent savings on a deposit.

Announced today, the payment to be made on a week-by-week basis will be $500 for those who would ordinarily work more than 20 hours per week, or $325 for those who would work less than 20 hours in a seven-day period.

There are a number of caveats to the Commonwealth's plan; first, it only activates once state governments impose lockdown restrictions of more than seven days.

Further, it can only go to those living or working in an area deemed a 'hotspot' by the Federal Government's Chief Health Officer.

Under these restrictions, the support is expected to help many currently living under the Victorian Government's two-week COVID-19 lockdown in Greater Melbourne.

In addition, recipients must be an Australian resident or a holder of a visa class permitted to work in Australia, be engaged in paid employment immediately prior to the lockdown restrictions and have had their income impacted by state-imposed restrictions.

They must also self-declare that they would have worked during the relevant period of lockdown, that they have lost income during the period, and have insufficient leave entitlements to cover them. Applicants will not be required to take annual leave.

Those currently receiving Federal income support payments like JobSeeker are ineligible to claim under the proposed program.

"We're talking about someone getting through the next week, who would ordinarily be in an economic situation where every dollar counts," Prime Minister Scott Morrison said.

"Where those who have independent means of supporting themselves for a week, then I think they would agree that reaching out for Commonwealth taxpayer funded assistance is not something that we consider reasonable for such a short period of time."

Updated at 1.32pm AEST on 2 June 2021.

Southern NSW exposure site list grows

More locations in southern New South Wales have been classified as "venues of concern" by the state's health authorities, with the original timeframe expanded as three household contacts of the original case test positive.

Nearly 250 people have been identified as casual contacts of the family from Melbourne which visited the Jervis Bay area between 19 and 24 May while potentially infectious.

NSW Health is continuing to investigate the movements of the family and this list of venues may expand still.

Those who were at the following venues at the times listed have been asked to immediately call NSW Health on 1800 943 553, get tested and isolate until further information from authorities is provided:

• Shell Coles Express Big Merino, Goulburn on 19 May between 1.45-2.05pm
• The Coffee Pedaler, Gundagai on 19 May between 9.30-11.1am
• Green Patch campground, Booderee National Park, Jervis Bay from 4pm 19 May to 9am 24 May
• 5 Little Pigs, Huskisson on Friday 21 May between 8-11.30am
• Huskisson Treasure Chest, Huskisson on 21 May between 11.30am-12pm
• Coles Vincentia Shopping Village, Vincentia on 21 May between 12-1pm and 22 May between 12-1pm

Anyone at the follow venues at the times listed must immediately be tested and isolate until a negative result is received:

• Gundagai Craft Centre, Gundagai on 19 May between 11am-12pm
• Junque and Disorderly Antique Shop, Gundagai on 19 May between 11am-12pm

Anyone who lives in Jervis Bay, Vincentia, Huskisson, Gundagai or Goulburn, or has visited these areas since 19 May, is asked to be especially vigilant for the onset of even the mildest of cold-like symptoms, and is urged to come forward for testing immediately if they appear, then isolate until a negative result is received.

The locations above are in addition to previously announced venues of concern to NSW Health in the Jervis Bay area:

• Shell Coles Express Big Merino, Goulburn on Monday 24 May from 10-11.30am
• Trapper's Bakery, Goulburn on Monday 24 May from 10.30-11.30am
• Cooked Goose Café, Hyams Beach on Sunday 23 May from 10am-12pm
• Green Patch campground, Booderee National Park, Jervis Bay on Sunday 23 May all day until 9am on Monday 24 May
• Coles Vincentia Shopping Village, Vincentia on Sunday 23 May from 12-1pm

Updated at 9.45am on 3 June 2021.

Melbourne lockdown extended another week, more business support incoming

As health authorities in Victoria scramble to manage a variant of COVID-19 that is more contagious than any other seen in the state, the lockdown has been extended in Melbourne for an extra seven days.

A 'ring of steel' will be introduced keeping the capital separate from regional Victoria, where several restrictions will be eased from 11.59pm tomorrow.

To soften the blow on businesses, a further $209 million support package will be delievered this week, on top of $250 million in existing support.

The Business Costs Assistance Program is being increased from $2,500 to $5,000 in total (or $2,500 per lockdown week). There will also be a $28 million increase to the Licensed Hospitality Fund with grants under the program to be beefed up from $3,500 to $7,000.

The state's Treasurer Tim Pallas has been in contact with his Federal counterpart Josh Frydenberg seeking the implementation of JobKeeper-style payments to see Melburnians through the next week. Acting Premier James Merlino is expected to meet with Prime Minister Scott Morrison later today to discuss the issue.

The State Government is also expanding its Service VIC QR code system to be mandatory at all retail outlets across the entire state.

The news comes as Victoria records six new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 today, bringing the total connected to this latest outbreak to 60.

With more than 350 exposure sites, and only two per cent of the state's population fully vaccinated, Merlino said easing lockdown in the capital would result in a disaster.

"If we let this run its course it will explode," Merlino said

"If that happens, it's our most vulnerable, it's our parents, it our grandparents...it's those Victorians that will pay the price."

While restrictions are expected to ease in regional Victoria, Health Minister Martin Foley noted there had been new unexpected detections in particular in Bendigo and the Mornington Peninsula.

The issue of casual transmission also remains a concern to Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton.

"This variant of concern is starting to show up in places where normally it would be less likely. So the Brighton Beach Hotel, that was an outdoor dining setting, well ventilated, you wouldn't expect transmission to occur," Sutton said.

"We still had it as an exposure site, we still informed people to test and isolate until returning a negative, but in fact all of those people will need to be in quarantine because transmission has occurred there. 

"That's not something that we routinely see, and we didn't routinely see it in 2020, but we have to bear in mind that all the variants of concern now are really a step up to some degree."

The variant of concern in this particular outbreak, the 'Kappa' variant, is also more infectious than any strain seen in Melbourne to date, according to Sutton.

"This Kappa variant, as it's now called, is not the most infectious, but it is more infectious than anything we saw in the beginning and middle of 2020," Sutton said.

"At least one in 10 current cases have caught this virus in those casual contact settings, so not the workplace, at-home, close contact settings where we know and expect transmission to occur.

"I have described it as an absolute beast, because we have to run it down to the ground. There are a dozen countries that had no community transmission going into 2021 that have now lost control, that have community transmission and will probably not bring it back to a point where they've got no community transmission again."

Lockdown extended for Melbourne

Current restrictions in Melbourne will remain in place for a further seven days with some small changes.

The five reasons to leave the home stay the same: shopping for food and supplies, authorised work and study, care and caregiving, exercise, and getting vaccinated.

However, Melburnians are permitted to travel a bit further - within a 10km radius of their home.

Year 11 and 12s will return to face to face learning from 11.59pm tomorrow, and a number of outdoor jobs have been added to the authorised list including landscaping, painting, installing solar panels, and letterboxing.

Mask wearing remains mandatory.

"At the end of another seven days we do expect to be in a position to ease restrictions in Melbourne," Merlino said.

"This will give us a full 14 days - one full cycle of the virus - to make sure we understand how and where this mutation is moving."

Restrictions to ease in regional Victoria

The state government is planning on easing restrictions in regional VIC from tomorrow.

That means lifting the travel restrictions and the 'five reasons', and all year levels and all students will return to face-to-face schooling.

Public gatherings will be increased to ten people, restaurants and cafés can reopen to a maximum of 50. Retail, beauty and personal care, entertainment venues and community facilities will also open in line with density limits.

In addition religious ceremonies and funerals will be capped at 50, weddings at ten.

Regional Victorians will be permitted to travel anywhere in the state except for into Melbourne, and all businesses outside of the capital must check the IDs of patrons to keep the community safe. 

Updated at 12.21pm AEST on 2 June 2021.

Jervis Bay on alert after COVID-infected Victorian went on camping trip

A confirmed case of COVID-19 from Melbourne has placed the Jervis Bay, New South Wales community on high alert after they visited the area on 23 and 24 May.

NSW Health was advised by the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services yesterday that the confirmed case was in Jervis Bay, Goulburn, Hyams Beach and Vincentia while potentially infectious, leading to a number of public health alerts for venues they visited.

The person drove back to Melbourne on 24 May (three days before Victoria's lockdown took effect), reported the onset of symptoms on 25 May and was tested yesterday.

As such, anyone who was at any of the following venues of concern at the listed times must called NSW Health on 1800 943 554, get tested and isolate until they receive further information from authorities:

• Shell Coles Express Big Merino, Goulburn on Monday 24 May from 10-11.30am
• Trapper's Bakery, Goulburn on Monday 24 May from 10.30-11.30am
• Cooked Goose Café, Hyams Beach on Sunday 23 May from 10am-12pm
• Green Patch campground, Booderee National Park, Jervis Bay on Sunday 23 May all day until 9am on Monday 24 May 
• Coles Vincentia Shopping Village, Vincentia on Sunday 23 May from 12-1pm

"NSW Health is continuing to investigate the movements of this case in and around Jervis Bay, and the list of venues is likely to be updated," says NSW Health.

"Anyone who lives in Jervis Bay, or has visited Jervis Bay since 22 May, is asked to be especially vigilant for the onset of even the mildest of cold-like symptoms, and is urged to come forward for testing immediately if they appear, then isolate until a negative result is received. Additionally, anyone who has recently had symptoms should also get tested."

It comes as Victoria reported six new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 today, bringing the total connected to the latest outbreak to 60.

Updated at 10.01am AEST on 2 June 2021.

"Stranger-to-stranger" transmission fears mount as Melbourne reports three new cases

Victorian health authorities are concerned fleeting contact between people is behind some of the state's COVID-19 outbreak as three new locally acquired cases were announced today.

The three new cases brings the total connected with this latest outbreak to 54, with none of today's locally acquired cases reported in aged care facilities.

Though the missing link connecting the initial case which sparked Victoria's outbreak (the man who was infected in an Adelaide quarantine hotel) to the other cases has not yet been uncovered, authorities are concerned there is evidence of casual acquisition.

Unlike close contact transmission, that being between friends at a pub or family members in a home, this phenomenon of casual contact is fleeting and between total strangers.

While VIC COVID Testing Commander Joroen Weimar said he is pleased more than 40,000 people came out to get tested yesterday, he is concerned that casual contact may mean there are other cases of the virus out there in the community.

"We have seen transmission in these places with very fleeting contact," Weimar said.

"We have transmission in places like the Telstra store in South Melbourne, JMD Grocers, the display home we talked about a few days ago, I'd add Craigieburn Central shopping centre.

"They are all examples of transmission with very limited contact. With previous variants, we are more used to transmission occurring in the home, in the workplace, where people know each other already, not at all of those big social settings. These are quite different."

As such, Weimar has called on anyone who has been to the following sites in the past two weeks to come forward and get tested for COVID-19:

• Craigieburn Central
• Bay Street shops in Port Melbourne
• Clarendon Street in the South Melbourne
• Pacific Epping, also known as the Epping Plaza
• The Epping North shopping centre
• Broadway Reservoir

Aged care and disability workers to be given priority vaccine access

Victorian health authorities are preparing for a "five-day blitz" to vaccinate more aged care and disability services workers.

From Wednesday 2 June to Sunday 6 June, workers in private sector aged care facilities and the residential disability sector will be given priority access to walk-in vaccination hubs around Victoria between 9am and 4pm.

The following vaccination hubs are participating in the blitz:

• The Royal Exhibition Building
• The Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre
• Sandown Racecourse
• The Melbourne Showgrounds
• The former Ford factory in Geelong
• Bendigo community clinic
• Ballarat Mercure Hotel and Convention Centre
• Shepparton Showgrounds
• The Macintosh Centre
• Elgin racecourse
• The Wodonga vaccination hub

Updated at 1.30pm AEST on 1 June 2021.

Victoria unveils $250m support package for lockdown-hit businesses

As Victoria remains in lockdown affected businesses will receive some monetary assistance from the state government in the form of a $250 million support package to help up to 90,000 companies.

Announced over the weekend, the 'Circuit Breaker Support Package' features initiatives for small-to-medium-sized businesses and sole traders, as well as targeted support for the hospitality and events industries.

It comes as Victoria reports 11 new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 today including six cases that came through after the midnight cutoff. 

These include cases relating to an emerging outbreak in the private residential aged care sector, with one of the new cases being the son of the intial infected person who worked at the Arcare facility in Maidstone.

In addition, one new case is a staff member at that facility who worked alongside the initial case but also worked at another centre - the Blue Cross ACG Sunshine facility - on 26, 27 and 28 May.

A third case linked to the Arcare outbreak is a resident of the Maidstone facility - a woman in her 90s who is asymptomatic but has now been transferred to a separate hospital. 

Meanwhile, the number of COVID-19 exposure sites in Victoria has balooned to more than 270 locations, and now includes Brighton Beach Hotel, several shops in DFO Uni Hill, retail and food outlets across Craigieburn, Epping, Cranbourne, Doreen, Footscray, Lalor, Chadstone, Mill Park, St Kilda, Point Cook, Port Melbourne, South Melbourne, Preston, Broadway Reservoir, Thomastown, Yarraville, South Yarra, a German Sheperd Dog Club in Keilor Downs, Metricon display homes in Kalkallo and Mickleham.

The full list of exposure sites can be found here.

As part of the support package, $190.01 million will form a second round of the Business Costs Assistance Program which will offer grants of $2,500 for eligible businesses directly affected by the circuit breaker restrictions, including restaurants and cafes, event suppliers, accommodation providers and non-essential retailers.

A $40.7 million new round of the Licensed Hospitality Venue Fund will provide businesses holding an eligible liquor licence and food certificate with a $3,500 grant per premises.

Finally, $20 million will be dedicated to supporting operators in the events industry who have incurred losses due to the circuit breaker restrictions. Details of this part of the package will be unveiled later this week.

"The circuit-breaker action will keep Victorians safe and protect businesses and jobs but we know it's not easy shutting your doors and putting your plans on hold," VIC Acting Premier James Merlino said.

"This support will help businesses pay the bills and maintain their workforce as best they can, as we work together to get through this challenge."

Businesses can register their interest in the Business Costs Assistance Program at business.vic.gov.au, so they can be notified when applications open this week. Operators eligible for the Licensed Hospitality Venue Fund payment will be contacted directly by email in coming days.

Updated at 9.53am AEST on