Mass immunisation through the COVID-19 vaccine should lead to fewer border closures and state-enforced restrictions, government leaders say.
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On Monday, Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt said as daily COVID cases reduce and vaccination rates in Australia and around the world increase, the government should be able to progressively reduce restrictions in the country.
Speaking outside Canberra Hospital's COVID-19 surge centre, Mr Hunt said COVID precautions remain important because the pandemic is not over, but the vaccine marked a significant step.
"Our goal is to get to a situation where we can protect the population against serious illness, hospitalisation and death, so facilities like this... won't be required," he said.
"And what that means is the ability to operation and address cases without having to close borders, without having to bring down lockdowns, that's a journey and assessments are being done jointly with states and territories."
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NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said on Monday the start of the state's COVID-19 vaccination roll out was a 'game changer'.
"It's the beginning of time when all of us can think about going back to life as normal as possible and that will only occur when the vast majority of our population has the vaccine," she said.
Once the majority of the population is vaccinated, the government can start thinking about easing restrictions and possibly reintroducing some overseas travel.
"As far as life in NSW I think the end of the year will be very different to the beginning of the year," he said.
Victorian Health Minister Martin Foley said the vaccination of the first of state's frontline workers was an exciting moment.