Victorian Health Minister Martin Foley said on Wednesday people wouldn't be required to have two doses of a coronavirus vaccine or show their vaccination status before entering venues from Friday night.
The requirement for staff and patrons of venues to check in using the Services Vic app will end and operators will not be required to maintain attendance records.
Household contacts of positive cases will also be free to leave their homes as long as they return negative daily tests and do not have symptoms, which businesses have been calling for for months.
Mr Foley also said masks will no longer be required in primary schools, in early childhood settings, or retail settings or events of any size.
Hospitality workers and patrons on public transport will no longer have to wear masks, but they will remain mandatory in aged care and in hospitals.
People will be exempt from testing and quarantine 12 weeks after contracting coronavirus.
The third dose vaccine mandates for critical workers still remains in place in healthcare, disability and residential aged care, police and emergency services, food distributional and in education.
Mr Foley said more than two-thirds of eligible people had received a third dose, while 80 or 90 per cent of older Victorians had come forward for their boosters.
“The Omicron wave is starting to subside and based on that we're seeing that reflected in our steadying of case numbers, particularly the lowering of the 7-day average, that's why we're in the position of being able to take some important steps over the coming days,” Mr Foley said.
He said the changes were made due to the high rates of vaccination across the community.
Individuals will be required to notify their workplace contact in addition to informing their social contact, but workplaces will no longer be required notify individuals and each potentially exposed worker in an outbreak.
Major events also won’t need approval from public health officials and testing requirements for international travellers will be scrapped.
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