Today NSW will find out more about its second step on the pathway out of COVID-19 lockdowns.
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The state is rapidly heading towards hitting 80 per cent double vaccinations in the population over 16 years of age, so fast it's set to come a week early - as soon as this weekend.
Currently 76.5 per cent are fully vaccinated.
The government has promised the next stage of the post-lockdown reopening will start the Monday after the state reaches 80 per cent full vaccination among its eligible population.
So what adjustments will be needed to the current plan will be the subject of discussion when Premier Dominic Perrottet meets with senior colleagues on Thursday.
Meanwhile, ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr has provided hope that restrictions on travel between the ACT and surrounding areas of NSW could be lifted in time for Christmas.
Sticking in NSW and the voluntary assisted dying bill will be formally introduced to NSW Parliament on Thursday.
Both major party leaders - Premier Dominic Perrottet and Opposition Leader Chris Minns - will vote against the bill, but each will allow their members a conscience vote on the issue.
Victoria to begin pathway to re-opening
Victoria on pace to reach its 70 per cent double vaccination target ahead of schedule, triggering the end of Melbourne's long-running sixth lockdown.
Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton confirmed a decision could be announced as early as this weekend around when the lockdown would lift and what the rules would look like.
Under the state's COVID-19 roadmap, home visits were set to be banned until 80 per cent of its 16-plus population received both vaccine doses.
But Professor Sutton said he was open to tweaking home gathering restrictions at the 70 per cent mark.
More vaccine mandates
Australians are facing an increasing patchwork of coronavirus vaccination mandates with different rules across state borders and industries.
Vaccination requirements are now in place for a wide range of workers across many sectors in the NT, Victoria, NSW, ACT, and Queensland.
All states and territories will also require health workers to be immunised against COVID-19, while most have orders in place for quarantine staff.
Records broken
Australian marathon swimmer Chloe McCardel has made history after crossing the English Channel for a record 44th time.
While actor William Shatner, best known as James T Kirk in the classic Star Trek, has soared aboard a Blue Origin rocketship on a suborbital trip and landed in the Texas desert to become, at age 90, the oldest person ever in space.
- with Australian Associated Press