The regularity of COVID-19 lockdowns, as seen in Melbourne, has prompted plans for future financial support to be more efficiently doled out.

As Melbourne emerges from its fourth COVID-19 lockdown, Victoria and NSW are drafting a new model for household support to be funded by the Commonwealth.

Nationally consistent payments for Australian businesses losing money in future lockdowns are to be put before next month's national cabinet meeting to be chaired by Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

Under the arrangement, the federal government will offer payments of up to $500 for workers who lose income when a hotspot-designated area is locked down for more than a week.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said in Victoria about 50,000 applications had been made during Melbourne's two-week lockdown with 34,000 approved.

Mr Frydenberg met with state and territory counterparts on Friday and Reserve Bank governor Philip Lowe briefed the nation's treasurers.

He said it was important for mental health and the economy to avoid similar situations in the future.

"Clearly this lockdown dents confidence. It hits investment. It ultimately costs jobs," the treasurer said.

Melbourne's two-week lockdown loosened on Friday, allowing residents within 25km of their homes and to have outdoor gatherings up to 10 people, but with mask wearing indoors and outdoors.

Students can return to schools, retail can reopen and hospitality venues can resume seated service.

The state recorded no new cases of community transmission on Friday, though Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said the coming week "probably won't be all zero cases".

Virus testing rates in some areas of Melbourne are lower than health authorities would like, despite 17,000 braving heavy wind and rain to get tested the day before.

Further north, country towns are on edge after a coronavirus-positive couple travelled from Victoria to Queensland through regional NSW.

More than 150,000 doses of coronavirus vaccines were administered in the past 24 hours taking the national total past 5.6 million.

Meanwhile, medical experts have reassured Australians about vaccine safety after the death of a 52-year-old woman.

The NSW woman died after developing a blood clot condition likely linked to the AstraZeneca vaccine - the second fatal case out of 3.6 million doses administered.

Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly said the side effect was extremely rare and doctors had more information on how to diagnose and treat the condition.

"We will continue to learn from these unfortunate circumstances and will tie it into advice to all practitioners," he said.

Cabinet minister Peter Dutton said the death was a tragedy but needed to be put in perspective, comparing it to the millions of deaths from coronavirus around the world.