Premier Daniel Andrews has warned thousands of lives are at risk unless all Victorians do their bit to support the state's unprecedented shutdown measures to slow the spread of coronavirus.

Key points: The Premier said some Victorians had been "acting selfishly" by flouting social-distancing rules

The Premier said some Victorians had been "acting selfishly" by flouting social-distancing rules Teachers are planning online learning for if schools close for term two, after the term one was brought to a close early

Teachers are planning online learning for if schools close for term two, after the term one was brought to a close early Police will conduct spot checks to ensure people are complying with the shutdown

It comes as Victoria recorded another 61 cases of COVID-19, bringing the state's total to 355.

Six of the state's cases are now believed to have been acquired through community transmission, which is double the number confirmed yesterday.

Thirty-five cases are from across regional Victoria, including nine cases in the Geelong region and four around Ballarat.

The announcement follows the Prime Minister's declaration that venues across the country would have to close from midday today to curb the spread of coronavirus.

While the National Cabinet agreed on the shutdown together, it was up to the individual states and territories to put the measures into law.

The "stage-one" shutdown in Victoria meant pubs, clubs, nightclubs, Crown Casino, gyms, indoor sporting venues, places of worship, cinemas and entertainment venues legally had to shut down at 12:00pm.

Hoyts, which has operated across Australia and New Zealand for 111 years, said it was the first time in its history that its cinemas had been closed until further notice.

The Sun Theatre cinema in Yarraville took down its coming attractions sign before the midday shutdown. ( ABC News: Steven Schubert )

Restaurants and cafes will only be allowed to provide home delivery or takeaway services. Bottle shops can remain open.

Mr Andrews told ABC Radio Melbourne any business not on the list could stay open, as long as it adhered to social-distancing measures such as ensuring there is 4 square metres for each person on the premises.

Indoor gatherings are still limited to fewer than 100 people.

Cafes, restaurants, pubs and bars across the state shut their doors to the public at midday. ( ABC News: Ron Ekkel )

What must close in Victoria: Pubs, clubs, hotels, bars and nightclubs that supply alcohol under a general licence (but bottleshops, takeaway meals and accommodation can continue)

Pubs, clubs, hotels, bars and nightclubs that supply alcohol under a general licence (but bottleshops, takeaway meals and accommodation can continue) Gyms

Gyms Indoor sporting centres

Indoor sporting centres Casinos

Casinos "A cinema, nightclub or entertainment venue of any kind"

"A cinema, nightclub or entertainment venue of any kind" Restaurants and cafes (but takeaways and deliveries can continue)

Restaurants and cafes (but takeaways and deliveries can continue) Places of worship (but weddings and funerals can continue)

Limiting contact is 'literally a life-and-death question'

Mr Andrews said many Victorians had been "acting selfishly" by ignoring social-distancing rules, and warned "people will die" if the measures were not followed.

A group of North Melbourne footballers apologised earlier today for throwing a party last night despite social-distancing advice being issued by authorities.

He told ABC Radio Melbourne stricter measures were likely to be enforced after the next National Cabinet meeting on Tuesday.

Some Melbournians visited cafes this morning before the shutdown came into force. ( ABC News: Ron Ekkel )

The Premier flagged a shutdown of "non-essential" services yesterday afternoon, ahead of a meeting of the National Cabinet last night.

He today denied suggestions his statement on Sunday caused confusion and panic, saying "this is not static. This is moving fast".

Mr Andrews acknowledged it was "frustrating and challenging" that the advice was changing.

"But it's nowhere near as challenging as people doing the wrong thing, and then we have 10,000 people who can only survive if they have a machine to help them breathe and we don't have enough machines and doctors to get that done."

A Port Melbourne pub is one of many venues now relying solely on its bottleshop and takeaway food sales. ( ABC News: Ron Ekkel )

Victoria's chief health officer Brett Sutton said it was critical people limited contact with "absolutely everyone".

"It's one thing for you to be well, but you cannot guarantee that somebody else may not be carrying COVID-19," he said.

"They may have very minimal symptoms, they might be just about to develop symptoms and still be infectious.

"And so if you're in close contact with them you're at risk of contracting it yourself. You may then develop illness that might be mild illness and you will carry it to someone, potentially someone who's very vulnerable, and so you have to consider this in all places, at all times.

"It is literally a life-and-death question."

After operating continuously for more than a century, Hoyts has closed its cinemas "until further notice". ( ABC News: Joseph Dunstan )

Schools prepare for online learning in case of shutdown

Mr Andrews yesterday announced the school term would end at the end of the school day today, rather than at the end of the week as originally scheduled.

Sorry, this audio has expired Daniel Andrews explains the shutdown on ABC Radio Melbourne.

The National Cabinet last night agreed to keep schools open across the country.

"Term two is scheduled to begin on April 14, unless I have medical advice not to proceed with term two," Mr Andrews said this morning.

But he said: "I'm not making that announcement today."

Victoria COVID-19 snapshot Melbourne's 14-day average: 34.4

Melbourne's 14-day average: 34.4 Regional Victoria's 14-day average: 1.6

Regional Victoria's 14-day average: 1.6 Current active cases: 657

Current active cases: 657 Active cases in regional Victoria: 23

Active cases in regional Victoria: 23 Active cases in healthcare workers: 79

Active cases in healthcare workers: 79 Active cases linked to aged care: 332

Active cases linked to aged care: 332 Deaths: 763

Deaths: 763 Cases in hospital: 92

Cases in hospital: 92 Intensive care patients: 6

Intensive care patients: 6 Tests since pandemic began: More than 2.58 million

Tests since pandemic began: More than 2.58 million Confirmed cases so far: 20,051 Updated Monday September 21 Latest Victorian Government info

Tuesday will be a pupil-free day for teachers to plan for online learning in the event schools need to remain closed beyond the school holidays.

While the holidays will begin a week early, Government schools will this week continue to provide care for primary and specialist school students who are the children of essential services workers.

"Examples of essential services may include health, police, corrections and emergency services workers," Department of Education deputy secretary David Howes said in an email to staff.

Dr Howes said teachers had a "responsibility" to provide care for vulnerable students in primary and secondary schools, such as those in out-of-home care.

Schools will remain open to the children of essential services workers. ( AAP: Dan Peled )

"There is no obligation for students who are children of essential workers or students who are vulnerable to attend school this week. However, we do have an obligation to ensure we provide a care and supervision program for these students if it is needed," he said.

Childcare centres and kindergartens are deemed essential services under the shutdown measures.

"But this is step one. There will be further announcements to be made," Mr Andrews said.

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Supermarkets, shopping centres stay open

The shutdown is in place until midnight on April 13, but Mr Andrews said it was "highly likely" it would be extended beyond that.

Chadstone Shopping Centre in Melbourne's east, which is the largest complex in Australia, said only 10 stores out of more than 550 had closed on Monday morning.

"Our centres continue to trade as normal. The Federal Government has made it clear shopping centres continue to provide an essential service to our community," a spokesman said in a statement.

An Aldi store in Sunshine only let people inside in groups to comply with the social distancing rules. ( Supplied: Thi Tran )

The Government yesterday announced emergency relief packages would be provided to those in self-isolation.

Gyms have responded to the shutdown in a variety of ways, with many offering to suspend members' fees during the closure.

Several gyms offered either free or low-fee remote classes to their members, as some plan to run socially-distanced outdoor classes with limited numbers.

On Friday, the Victorian Farmers Federation said the state had "plenty of food" and told those who were panic-buying to "settle your farm".

Job losses at AFL as jobseekers queue for hours

Dozens of people queued down York Street outside the South Melbourne Centrelink office this morning. ( ABC News: Ron Ekkel )

As businesses closed and laid off staff, queues formed outside Centrelink offices around the country and the MyGov website crashed.

Eighty per cent of staff at AFL headquarters have been stood down in the wake of the league's decision to suspend the 2020 season until at least May 31.

The skeleton staff that remain agreed to a 20 per cent pay cut.

Staff will be paid extended holiday pay until the end of Easter, after that they can draw on their own annual leave or long-service leave if they have accrued it.

The league's casual staff were let go last week.

Meanwhile, Racing Victoria said in a statement it planned to continue running races under strict social-distancing measures with no crowds.

The stands were empty during the All-Star Mile at Caulfield Racecourse earlier this month. ( AAP: Vince Caligiuri )

The sporting body said it had not taken the decision "lightly" and would continue to follow the directions of health authorities.

"We will continually review this decision in consultation with Government and health authorities to ensure that we are acting in not only the best interests of all of the staff and stakeholders in our industry, but their families, friends and indeed the wider community," its statement said.

Police able to fine, detain, arrest

Police have the power to fine, arrest and detain people who break the shutdown rules. ( ABC News, file photo )

As well as the shutdown measures, police and authorised officers will be enforcing a mandatory self-isolation period for anyone entering Victoria from overseas.

Under Victoria's state of emergency legislation, those breaking the rules face fines of nearly $20,000 for individuals and nearly $100,000 for businesses.

Mr Andrews warned the closure of pubs was not an invitation to have large gatherings at home.

He said last week, one person at a dinner party had coronavirus and by the end of the evening almost everyone had contracted the virus.

"This spreads rapidly. If you act selfishly people will die," he said.

"Many people are doing the right thing and I'm grateful to them."

Mr Andrews said it was people's "civic duty" to distance themselves from others.

He told ABC Radio Melbourne that the Government was arranging temporary accommodation for people experiencing an escalation in domestic violence because they were forced to stay at home.

Emergency Services Minister Lisa Neville said police saw "quite a number of breaches in relation to indoor gatherings" over the weekend.

"This is such a significant issue in terms of people's lives, Victoria Police will have a dedicated team tasked with doing those spot checks and making sure people are following the rules in terms of social gatherings," she said.

"Police have the power to fine you, arrest you, detain you and they will use those powers where needed in the interest of community safety."

Mr Andrews said nobody had been fined or charged for disobeying the self-isolation rules.

Trams along Lygon Street in Brunswick have been virtually empty this morning. ( Supplied )

New rules for hospital visits

Victoria's Health Minister, Jenny Mikakos, today announced new restrictions on visitors to the state's hospitals.

"A patient will not be able to receive a visitor for more than two hours at a time, and [won't] be able to have more than two visitors per day," she said.

"There are some exceptions, particularly for partners [of new mothers] and patients experiencing palliative care."

The directive will apply from midnight.

Ms Mikakos said anyone who was unwell should not be visiting people in hospital.

She said 97 people had recovered from the virus in Victoria.

Read the Premier's statement and the deputy chief health officer's declaration:

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