ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr has urged Canberrans to exercise caution as the ACT emerges from lockdown tonight (October 14).

With eased virus measures coming into effect at midnight, Mr Barr used the final daily covid press conference to warn the community to remain vigilant.

“In a little over 12 hours lockdown in the ACT will end but it doesn’t mean the end of the covid risk,” Mr Barr said

“Tomorrow is not the end of the pandemic, the virus will continue to spread in the community, but tomorrow is a step forward.”

Mr Barr said lockdown has not been “easy”, but it has kept case numbers low and meant that many Canberrans have been vaccinated.

There has been 1359 cases of covid since lockdown began, 199 people in hospital, 24 requiring ventilation and seven deaths.

“We have all had very different experiences during lockdown, for the families who have had loved ones die or in be in hospital it’s been scary, shocking and devastating,”  Mr Barr said.

Mr Barr said 98.8 per cent of people aged 12 and over have received their first covid jab and 74.7 per cent were fully vaccinated, describing the ACT as having “world-leading vaccination rates.”

“We want to see our world-first vaccination rate translate into a world-leading fully vaccinated rate,” Mr Barr said.

Mr Barr said 90,000 eligible Canberrans have only had one covid jab.

He urged anyone still needing a vaccination to get one today, citing one vaccination clinic as having 300 walk-ins on Monday.

“Keep washing your hands and wearing a mask,” he said.

“We can look forward to much better times in the future.”