Victoria now has 114,000 Victorian teenagers eligible for a COVID-19 booster vaccine after regulators approved the third dose for 16- and 17-year-olds.
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The state recorded another 34 COVID-related deaths and 12,157 new cases on Thursday, as the number of people in hospital battling the virus hit a three-week low.
The new cases include 5588 from PCR tests and 6569 from rapid antigen tests.
The total number of active cases in the state is 66,648, down 7238 from Wednesday.
Hospitalisations with COVID-19 have fallen by 16 to 752 patients, the lowest figure since January 10.
There are 82 people in intensive care, 17 fewer than the previous day, with 29 of those on a ventilator.
About 41 per cent of Victorians aged over 18 have received a COVID-19 booster, after 15,920 doses were administered at state clinics on Wednesday.
Teens aged 16 and 17 can join those ranks after Australia's primary vaccine advisory body, ATAGI, recommended a third jab for the age group.
Pfizer is the only brand approved for the cohort.
"There are now 114,000 16- to 17-year-olds in Victoria, who are eligible right now to get their third doses, it's been more than three months, since they had the second dose," COVID-19 Commander Jeroen Weimar told reporters on Thursday.
"There's another, I think, 30,000 or so 16- to 17-year-olds in Victoria, who will have to wait a few more weeks when they get to their three month anniversary of the second dose."
Mr Weimar said work is under way so that updated vaccine certificates can be added to the Services Victoria app, used to check in to venues.
The state government has also extended access to its hospital surge support allowance to March 31.
The allowance is paid to workers who provide direct patient care in public hospital services and Ambulance Victoria, including our emergency departments, intensive care units and COVID-19 wards.
Australian Associated Press
