Australia has reported 35 new COVID-19 deaths at the start of a weekend when mask mandates have lifted and dance floors reopened across the eastern states.
Several jurisdictions announced an easing to restrictions from Friday.
In NSW, Victoria and the ACT mask-wearing is still required in high-risk settings such as public transport, aged care facilities, airports and hospitals.
There are exceptions for some school students in Victoria and the ACT, who will still have to keep their masks on for now.
Queensland is set to ease its mask rules and density limits next week.
Mask mandates remain in WA, Tasmania, SA and the NT.
The eased restrictions come as a new vaccine is approved for use in Australia, specifically for people who haven't been able to have a dose of existing vaccines.
Evusheld has been granted approval for immunocompromised people who aren't likely to have an adequate immune response to a COVID-19 vaccine.
It can also be used for people who currently can't get a COVID-19 vaccine due to a history of severe reactions to immunisation.
People aged 12 and over and who weigh more than 40 kilograms can access the vaccine.
NSW reported 7,017 new COVID-19 cases on Saturday morning while Victoria recorded 5,874 and Queensland 4,838. The ACT added 478 new infections to its caseload.
There were 1,688 cases announced in South Australia, 792 in Tasmania, 632 in the Northern Territory and 1,105 in WA, its highest one-day total since the beginning of the pandemic.
There are 1,130 people in hospital with COVID-19 in NSW, with 59 in intensive care, while Victoria has 281 people hospitalised, with 43 in ICU. In Queensland, hospital patients number 341, 24 of them in ICU.
Of the 35 deaths reported, 15 were in Victoria, 11 in NSW, eight in Queensland and one in the NT.
Indigenous health services are also getting an immediate funding boost which federal Health Minister Greg Hunt said was a result of lessons learned from the pandemic.
Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services will get a $54.7 million cash boost, but a 3 per cent funding increase per year over four years won't kick in until July 2023.
"The ongoing pandemic has once again shown how critical the ACCHS sector is in delivering health services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people," Mr Hunt said.
Australia reported 28 new COVID-19 deaths on Friday, the bulk in Victoria, while the country recorded 24,739 new cases with NSW marking the most.
