Victoria has recorded another 13 COVID-19 deaths and hospitalisations have risen slightly as the state's hospitals prepare to exit Code Brown conditions.
The number of people in hospital after contracting the virus now sits at 553, up from the 543 reported on Thursday.
Of those patients, 82 are in intensive care units, with 23 people on ventilators.
The state reported 8,521 new infections — 3,162 from PCR results and 5,359 from rapid antigen tests.
It takes the number of officially reported active infections to 55,617, down from 55,946 yesterday.
About 48.9 per cent of the state's adult population has now had a third dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, with 51.4 per cent of 5-11 year olds having now received their first dose.
It follows news that Australians will now need to have received a booster dose of a COVID-19 vaccine to be considered "up to date" with their vaccinations, based on new advice from the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI).
Those not eligible for a booster will be considered "up to date" after their primary vaccine course.
ATAGI's new advice was endorsed by the national cabinet at a meeting on Thursday, but will not apply to international travellers arriving in Australia.
Under the new rules, if it has been longer than six months since someone's last vaccine dose and they are eligible for a booster they will now be considered "overdue".
It was announced yesterday the deadline for key healthcare workers in Victoria to have a third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine was extended by a month, pushing the new deadline to March 12.
Code Brown at Victorian hospitals to be lifted next week
Health Minister Martin Foley today announced the government would be rolling back its Code Brown alert in hospitals starting from Monday.
A Code Brown was put into effect in January to combat increased Omicron hospitalisations and staff furloughing.
Mr Foley said the easing of settings would also have flow-on effects for elective surgery.
"We're confident that while [hospitals are] still going to be very busy, we are in a position to safely lift the code brown alert," Mr Foley said.
"It also lets us continue down the path of the careful, steady relaxation of the deferral of elective surgery."
From Monday, private hospitals in metropolitan Melbourne will be able to perform up to 50 per cent of all elective surgery, while hospitals in regional Victoria will be able to conduct up to 75 per cent of all elective surgery.
Mr Foley said the alert had served its purpose and there was no plan to reintroduce it at a later date.
Mark Frydenberg from the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons welcomed the resumption of more elective surgery but called for more details about the changes to give hospitals time to prepare.
"It would be really helpful to know when it's likely to go to 75 per cent, when are we going to have 100 per cent of day surgery and when are we going to have a 100 per cent of all surgery," Dr Frydenberg said.
"It would be really helpful to have that clearly articulated so everyone can plan for that."
Victorian medi-hotels to be decommissioned
The government will shut down two Melbourne medi-hotels converted last month to cope with surging case numbers and dwindling staff availability.
More than 300 COVID patients were transferred in January to the Pullman in the CBD and the Mantra in Epping to ease pressure on the hospital system.
The government said reduced case numbers meant the facilities were no longer needed.
"The fact the Omicron wave has subsided and that they were not needed as much as anticipated is a good thing for the health system and the Victorian community," a Victorian government spokesperson said.
"Patients able to recover at home will continue to be supported through the expanded Hospital in the Home program, keeping hospital beds free for those who need them most."
