As Melbourne marks its first business day since working from home recommendations were lifted and many COVID restrictions eased, there have been signs of more life returning to the city centre.
Data recording foot traffic showed small increases across the CBD this morning and business groups said the changes represented a step towards recovery from the effects of COVID-19 lockdowns.
Lord Mayor Sally Capp says City of Melbourne data indicated there was a near-30 per cent increase in commuter numbers passing through the CBD's railway stations.
"It is a big stride forward, literally, for the future of our city and we say thank you to everyone who's come in on a Monday to return to their city workplaces," Cr Capp said.
She said she hoped there would be a continued commonsense approach to restrictions.
"We understand that health and safety must remain a priority but we can see now that there's definitely a shift for our 'COVID caution' to 'COVID confidence," she said.
Meanwhile, Victoria has recorded three COVID-19 deaths and 5,852 new infections.
The number of people in hospital with the virus has risen slightly to 283, up from the 274 hospitalisations recorded on Sunday.
There are 42 patients in intensive care units, seven of whom are on ventilators.
While the daily hospitalisation figure fluctuates, the seven-day average for hospitalisations has continued to fall.
It currently sits around 303, its lowest level since December last year, and there are now 41,205 active cases in the state.
Around 94 per cent of Victorians aged 12 and above have received two COVID-19 vaccine doses and roughly 59 per cent of adults have received three doses.
From Friday night, many remaining COVID-19 restrictions were dropped, including the requirement for masks to be worn inside workplaces such as offices.
A recommendation for people to work from home that has been in place for much of the pandemic has also been dropped.
'Baby steps' in revival of central Melbourne
Office workers returned to Melbourne's CBD this morning after the Victorian government lifted its work from home advice and eased mask rules on the weekend.
Business groups are hoping the new settings will help bring people back to the city, after foot traffic fell to near lockdown levels at the height of the Omicron wave.
Academic registrar Fizza Sabir is returning to her CBD workplace today and said she was glad to be back.
"I'll go out and have a coffee and lunch."
The return to work coincides with the latest round of the Melbourne Money program, which offers rebates for mid-week city dining.
Gerard Kelly, who owns a cafe in the CBD, said he had not noticed a major increase in people returning to the city so far, but he said he was hopeful it would get busier over time.
"I think it is all just baby steps and I think over the next couple of weeks we will see more and more people coming in," he said.
Data recording foot traffic in Melbourne's CBD showed an increase this morning in areas like Flinders Street Station and Bourke Street Mall.
City of Melbourne data showed that 626 people were detected at Flinders Street Station near Degraves Street at 8am, an increase on the four-week average of 477 pedestrians counted at the same time.
In Bourke Street Mall, 205 people were detected at 8am, compared with the four-week average of 175 people.
Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief executive Paul Guerra said "smiling faces and vibrancy" were beginning to return to Melbourne's CBD and the buildings within it.
"We think it will be a gradual build as people get used to coming back into the office," he said.
"As they experience it the first time, they'll come back following that as well."
He also said amid "chatter" about the possibility of a third COVID-19 dose being made mandatory for some industries, it was important to remember many people were already doing the right thing and getting their booster shots.
"I think governments can expect business to follow suit if that's upgraded to a third dose then so be it," Mr Guerra said.
"Business will get on and do what they need to do to keep not only the business safe, but their employees safe as well."
COVID isolation payments dropped
The Victorian government has confirmed that it will end the state's COVID-19 isolation payments this week.
The payments, which have been available since July 2020, have provided $450 to those needing to stay home while waiting for the result of a COVID-19 PCR test.
Industry Support and Recovery Minister Martin Pakula said the reason for the change was that the use of rapid antigen tests had reduced the need for people to isolate for days while waiting for test results.
"The payment was an important emergency support for many workers during the height of the pandemic, but as we enter a new phase of managing COVID-19 it's no longer necessary," he said.
Since the payments were introduced, more than 1.2 million have been approved, which were worth $545 million.
Claims will only be accepted up to 9am Wednesday for people who have taken a test on or before Tuesday March 1.
