National News

Business owners must be allowed to decide if they'll serve customers who have not been COVID-19 vaccinated when Queensland's borders open, a peak business group says.

The NSW government has announced a new $130 million package to counter the mental health impacts of the pandemic, as the state prepares for the second phase of its reopening.

Haircuts as well as a parma and pot are finally back on the menu for fully vaccinated Victorians.

ACT health authorities are worried about a sharp drop in COVID-19 testing numbers, with figures more than halving compared to a week earlier.

A COVID-positive teenager with other health conditions has become the youngest person to die during Victoria's current outbreak, while police have squashed another would-be Melbourne lockdown protest.

NSW has reached its target of 80 per cent full vaccination for people aged over 16, clearing the way for a further easing of restrictions.

The US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says it will accept mixed-dose COVID-19 vaccines from international travellers, a boost to travellers from Canada and other places.

Flexible workers are happier workers it seems. New research shows they feel better rested, more engaged and have a higher sense of wellbeing than those confined to the office.

Fully vaccinated Australians and their families will be the first people to benefit when NSW scraps quarantine for international arrivals.

Researchers hope a new vaccine to protect koalas against the ravages of chlamydia could boost long-term survival prospects for the species.