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Unions have warned COVID-19 deaths could rise unless more is done to beef up ventilation, testing and social distancing at Australian workplaces.

Swathes of NSW including Sydney stepped out of lockdown on Monday with pubs, cafes, restaurants and gyms among the businesses to welcome back fully-vaccinated punters.

With the ACT and Victoria also preparing to lift restrictions in coming weeks, the Australian Council of Trade Unions sounded the alarm on national workplace safety.

ACTU secretary Sally McManus said every employer needed a plan to address risks for workers and customers as Australia moves closer to normal life.

"That's going to be just critical," she told AAP on Monday.

"Otherwise there'll be more transmission and this will all be about hospitalisations and deaths."

Ventilation is considered a key issue to limit aerosol transmission of coronavirus.

Ms McManus said improvements could pose a short-term cost for employers that struggled through lockdowns but the investment would be worth it.

"It's going to be in the end a much better option than having your workplace ending up being an exposure site and certainly any of your staff or customers getting really sick from COVID," she said.

Ensuring social distancing and using rapid testing are also seen as crucial.

The ACTU is concerned some workers who will have to refuse service to unvaccinated customers because of public health orders need more protection.

Ms McManus wants clear government communication that staff are not responsible for the requirements and employers to ensure protocols to deal with difficult patrons are in place.

"For retail and hospitality workers who have been out of work this whole time and then come back to bear the brunt again of people's anger is absolutely not acceptable," she said.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has defended tapering off coronavirus disaster payments for workers as vaccination targets are reached.

He argues continued support is unsustainable and could act as a deterrent for people returning to work.

But Ms McManus said payments should remain in place until businesses were able to operate at full capacity.

The ACTU also wants federal disaster payments to kick in if localised lockdowns are imposed, which is possible under the national reopening plan.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison emerged from two weeks quarantine at The Lodge in Canberra to encourage fully-vaccinated residents in his home state of NSW to enjoy their freedoms.

He also sent a message to people in states that have avoided major lockdowns and rampant outbreaks, like Western Australia and Queensland.

"We need those vaccines to ensure that when COVID inevitably comes, that in those states you will be able to continue on as you have," he said.

WA and Queensland trail the nation on double-dose vaccination rates, while the ACT and NSW have a commanding lead ahead of Tasmania and Victoria.

A record 402,000-plus doses were administered over the weekend helping Australia's two-dose over-16 coverage rise to 62.4 per cent.

There were 496 new local cases and eight deaths reported in NSW on Monday, while Victoria registered 1612 infections and eight fatalities.

Canberra detected 32 new cases.

© AAP 2021

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Paul McCartney has revisited the break-up of The Beatles, flatly disputing the suggestion that he was responsible for the group's demise.

Speaking on an episode of BBC Radio 4's This Cultural Life that is scheduled to air on October 23, McCartney said it was John Lennon who wanted to disband The Beatles.

"I didn't instigate the split," McCartney said.

"That was our Johnny."

The band's fans have long debated who was responsible for the break-up, with many blaming McCartney.

But McCartney said Lennon's desire to "break loose" was the main driver behind the split.

Confusion about the break-up was allowed to fester because their manager asked the band members to keep quiet until he concluded a number of business deals, McCartney said.

The interview comes ahead of Peter Jackson's six-hour documentary chronicling the final months of the band.

The Beatles: Get Back, set for release in November on Disney+, is certain to revisit the break-up of the legendary band.

McCartney's comments were first reported by The Observer.

When asked by interviewer John Wilson about the decision to strike out on his own, McCartney retorted: "Stop right there. I am not the person who instigated the split. Oh no, no, no. John walked into a room one day and said, 'I am leaving The Beatles.' Is that instigating the split, or not?"

McCartney expressed sadness over the break-up, saying the group was still making "pretty good stuff".

"This was my band, this was my job, this was my life. So I wanted it to continue," McCartney said.

© AP 2021

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Prime Minister Scott Morrison has urged fully vaccinated NSW residents to enjoy their new-found freedoms after the state ended more than 100 days of lockdown.

Monday also marked the end of 14 days of quarantine for Mr Morrison at The Lodge in Canberra after he returned from the US last month.

"This is the day so many have been looking forward to, the day when things we take for granted we celebrate," he said.

"I want to thank Australians for the incredible job that they've done in getting vaccinated.

"To all those particularly in Sydney and across New South Wales who are opening up today, enjoy the moment, enjoy it with your family and friends."

It comes after more than 400,000 COVID-19 vaccines were administered nationally over the weekend - the single largest weekend since the vaccine rollout began in February.

Despite Greater Sydney reopening for the first time since the lockdown began in June, Mr Morrison said vaccinations rates must be pushed higher, including in states where are zero cases.

"We need those vaccines to make sure that when COVID certainly comes, that in those states you will be able to continue on as you have," he said.

Meanwhile, federal Health Minister Greg Hunt said NSW was unlikely to go into lockdown again due to the state's high vaccination rates.

Mr Hunt was also confident the state's hospital system would be able to cope with an expected surge in case numbers following the easing of restrictions.

"I'm confident that NSW has made the right decision, they've made the right decision on vaccinations, on lockdowns and contact tracing," Mr Hunt told ABC radio.

"Many people would say a 100-day lockdown was too long but what they have done is strike the right balance. It has been incredibly difficult, it has been hellishly difficult for so many people."

NSW reported 496 new cases on Monday, along with eight more COVID-19 related deaths.

Meanwhile, COVID-19 booster shots will are available from Monday for severely immunocompromised Australians.

Mr Hunt said the national advisory body on immunisations was expected to provide advice by the end of the month on how a national program could be rolled out for rest of the population.

Some 150 million doses of boosters shots have been secured for 2022 and beyond.

Across the nation, vaccination rates are at 82.2 per cent for people over 16 with a first dose, while almost 62 per cent are fully vaccinated.

© AAP 2021

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England have named a 17-man squad for the Ashes tour, with head coach Chris Silverwood leaning on familiar faces for the trip to Australia.

Silverwood and captain Joe Root are unable to call on a full-strength group due to the continued hiatus of star all-rounder Ben Stokes and injuries to Jofra Archer, Olly Stone and Sam Curran but fears over players opting out due to concerns over Australia's travel restrictions have not materialised.

Following successful discussions with Cricket Australia over arrangements for families and quarantine there have been no opt-outs.

As such the squad has a tried and trusted feel, with no uncapped Test players selected.

That means potential 'wildcard' picks such as Lancashire trio Liam Livingstone, Matt Parkinson and Saqib Mahmood have all been overlooked but they can expect to form part of the Lions squad which will shadow the early stages of the tour and could yet be called upon.

While Stokes' absence has long been expected - he has already missed the India Test series, the resumption of the Indian Premier League and the T20 World Cup as he prioritises his mental health and recovery from a finger injury - fellow all-rounder Curran was a late withdrawal.

While Curran's bowling may not have been perfectly suited to Australian conditions, he could have offered balance and variety to the side in Stokes' absence.

However, the lower back injury which forced him out of the World Cup squad has now been diagnosed as a stress fracture requiring specialist treatment.

Announcing the squad, Silverwood said: "A tour of Australia is the pinnacle as an England Test cricketer.

"I am delighted that all of our available players have committed to the tour. We are looking forward to touring and enjoying the experience of this historic series.

"This is why we play and coach, to be involved in iconic series like this.

"More than half of our squad haven't featured in an Ashes tour before, which means we will be fresh and looking to embrace the cricket and the excitement of touring one of the best places in the world.

"I believe we have selected a well-balanced squad with options in all areas and a blend of youth and experience.

"There is real competition for places and a genuine desire to work hard and compete, aiming to create some history.

"We are under no illusions about how difficult the task is going to be.

"Australia have been strong at home in the past, and there is an expectation on them to win this series. However, from our point of view, there is genuine excitement and belief that we can do something special."

ENGLAND ASHES SQUAD

Joe Root (captain), James Anderson, Jonathan Bairstow, Dom Bess, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Zak Crawley, Haseeb Hameed, Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Dawid Malan, Craig Overton, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood

© PAA 2021