Victoria's COVID-19 Commander Jeroen Weimar has warned anyone who becomes symptomatic "should assume they are already positive" for COVID-19 as the state experiences "never before seen positivity rates".
It comes as Victoria recorded a steep climb in COVID-19 infections, with 8577 new cases overnight.
Mr Weimar said so far this year, Victoria has already seen more positive cases than the entire first year of the pandemic.
"We are already seeing in the space of three days, more people being infected than over the course of the entire first year of the pandemic," he said.
Mr Weimar also said the rate of positive cases of those tested "has never been seen before."
"With the high case numbers in our community, we have to assume if we're symptomatic, that we're probably COVID positive," he said.
"PCR results are taking two days to come back because of the high rate of cases coming back positive.
Mr Weimar said authorities are now seeing one in five cases who are being tested in a PCR system coming back positive.
"That's a tenfold increase - normally that number is around a two per cent positivity rate," he said.
Victoria Health Officer Martin Foley said case numbers will continue to increase "exponentially".
"You'll recall the December meeting of National Cabinet received advice from the Doherty Institute, which essentially pointed to precisely what's happening," he said.
"If anything, about the Institute's modelling, it might indeed be conservative in terms of the infection rates that we're starting to see with Omicron."
Mr Foley confirmed from tomorrow, a million more Victorians will be eligible to receive their third COVID-19 vaccine dose as the state records a steep jump in daily infections.
Mr Foley said anyone who had a second dose in September or earlier, will be able to get a third jab after the date was brought forward.
Another three deaths were recorded overnight, and 56 people are in intensive care, with 24 of them on ventilators.
Mr Foley said vaccination is the best protection against the Omicron variant.
"As we head into 2022 it is more important than ever if you are eligible for that third dose to come forward and get it," he said.
Mr Foley also confirmed the government is strengthening its state-run vaccination clinics to help with booster availability and shots for children.
A further 28 pop up clinics will be open from January 5 across the state.
"We are ensuring that up to 300,000 Victorians can get vaccinated every week, through our ramped up state-run clinics, and we look forward to meeting that number," Mr Foley said.
While Omicron is the dominant variant in the state, most hospital admissions are suffering from Delta.
Victoria recorded 7172 new COVID-19 cases the previous day, along with three deaths.
The rising case numbers are putting renewed pressure on the state's aged care system, with recommendations for new protocols for staff.
Chief Medical Officer Professor Paul Kelly has approved a recommendation that aged care staff deemed to be close contacts be allowed back to work without any isolation requirements.
There is a similar framework in place in New South Wales, where staff take a PCR test every 72 hours, followed by a rapid antigen test.
The Kirby Institute has said the number of COVID-19 cases in Victoria could be up to five times higher as many are going unreported.
Testing clinics have been under undue strain and rapid tests are becoming harder to come by.
There was already a line forming at dawn at the Albert Park testing hub in Melbourne.
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Australian Medical Association President Omar Khorshid said some states may need to be back into lockdown as countries like Germany and Europe have while battling significant outbreaks.
However, the Victorian government have said there are no plans to re-introduce lockdowns at this stage.
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