From 11.59pm on Friday, the work from home recommendation will be dropped, and Victoria’s mask rules will change.

They’ll no longer be needed in most indoor settings.

Masks will only be required in the following circumstances:

• People on public transport, in taxis and rideshare, on planes, and indoors at an airport
• People working or visiting hospitals, and indoor areas at care facilities
• Workers in hospitality, retail and the court system
• Workers at justice and correctional facilities
• Students in year 3 or above at primary school, and workers at early childhood centres and primary schools (masks can be removed in secondary school)
• People working indoors at an event with more than 30,000 people attending In special circumstances, such as if you have COVID-19 or are a close contact and you’re leaving home

From February 28, public hospitals will be able to resume all surgery, with capacity to be based on an individual assessment of staff availability and COVID-19 demands.

Private hospitals will be able to resume up to 100 per cent of pre-COVID activity.

Temporary exceptions and deadline extensions for workers in industries with vaccine mandates have also been announced.

The third-dose deadline for workers in educational facilities who were fully vaccinated on or before October 25 has been extended by a month to March 25.

Fully vaccinated workers who aren’t yet eligible for a third dose will have a third dose deadline of three months and two weeks from when they had their second dose.

For workers who are recent international arrivals, there will be a new third dose deadline of four weeks from the date of their arrival, provided they have evidence of a future vaccine booking.

Workers whose temporary medical exemption has expired will have a new third dose deadline of two weeks following the expiry of the medical exemption.