Victoria's Chief Health Officer has warned the state is not yet at the peak of COVID-19 hospitalisations, urging the community against complacency about the risk posed by the Omicron variant.
Victoria's COVID-19 hospitalisations are sitting at 1,096, down from 1,206 reported on Thursday, and a further 20 deaths have been reported.
Of the patients in hospital, there are 121 in intensive care, 34 of whom are on ventilators.
Victorian Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said while unidentified and asymptomatic cases remained present in the community, the data showed a downward trend in case numbers.
"I hope that what we're seeing is [that] our peak of numbers is real, I think it is and we're on the downslope," he said.
He urged people to take the wave of Omicron infections seriously and get the maximum protection available against the virus.
"I think part of the messaging about Omicron has been overly simplified," Professor Sutton said.
"There is a nuance here. It is less severe than Delta, that's for sure. But it is not a mild virus.
"And, so, at a population level, it remains a dangerous virus. For the individual, for the one person who's received two doses of vaccine, it's not going to be a severe illness.
Professor Sutton said while people made their individual risk assessments, he wanted them to "see things through the lens of the healthcare worker".
"Healthcare workers are telling you they have had three tough years … and they are continuing to see people who shouldn't be in hospital — people who could have gotten a third dose, or people who are unvaccinated," he said.
Regional and metropolitan hospitals are facing a major staffing crisis, with Code Brown alerts raised at several facilities across the state.
While IVF treatments have resumed, elective surgeries remain on hold, drawing criticism from the opposition.
"This is all backwards. Instead of closing everything first and then reopening later, the government should only close what is necessary in the first place," Shadow Health Minister Georgie Crozier said.
"Just like IVF treatments, all elective surgeries and healthcare services that can be resumed safely must be done so immediately."
There are now at least 252,399 active cases of COVID-19 in the state.
The state has officially recorded 18,167 new COVID-19 infections, but the true number of new cases in the community is much higher.
The new cases were reported from 10,023 PCR results and 8,144 at-home rapid antigen tests (RATs).
Treasurer Tim Pallas said the lower proportion of positive tests in daily results could be representative of a downward trend.
"It's something like a two week period since we had numbers as low as this," Mr Pallas said.
"Things are, hopefully, demonstrating that we are getting beyond the peak."
Victorians urged to get boosters now as eligibility brought forward
About 300,000 public sector employees in Victoria will be given paid time off to allow them to get a third dose of the vaccine.
"We recognise that, as an employer, we have a duty of care to our public servants," Mr Pallas said.
"They also have a responsibility to the community at large to make sure that they are not a source of infection in those interactions."
Mr Pallas said the state was in a far better financial position now than during its Delta outbreak in 2021, with Omicron having a "substantially lesser" impact.
"We were losing about 800 million dollars a week out of the Victorian economy," Mr Pallas said.
"The latest advice I'm hearing is closer to 30 million dollars a week."
Data clear on additional protection of booster, CHO says
About 28 per cent of Victorian adults have received three doses of a vaccine so far.
More than 2.45 million Victorians are now eligible for a booster shot, following an announcement on Wednesday cutting the interval between vaccine doses from four to three months.
South Australia and New South Wales announced similar reductions in booster intervals this week.
Professor Sutton said he has not been asked by the government to provide medical advice on mandated third doses.
"The question of a mandate isn't a settled one necessarily, but very happy to assess that and provide advice if requested," he said.
Professor Sutton said the data was clear on the additional protection a third dose provides, with 97 per cent of Victorian ICU patients having not received a third dose.
He also said more advice would be coming on the booster for recent COVID sufferers.
"You don't have to wait six months, you don't have to wait three months in my view, so I think you can get it when you're recovered," he said.
Professor Sutton said there was "very little disadvantage" to getting to booster immediately or one month after being infected with COVID.
The government will launch a "booster blitz" this weekend with 60,000 additional doses available in addition to longer operating hours, walk-in availability and free ice creams at vaccination centres.
Mr Andrews has indicated there is "every chance" the third dose will soon become mandatory to be considered fully vaccinated.
