Source: ABCnews
After months of stay-at-home orders and progressively stricter rules around social movements, Victoria has announced a lifting of its lockdown this week.
Victoria’s Premier Daniel Andrews says the state’s lockdown will lift at 11:59pm on Thursday, when 70 per cent of eligible adults are expected to be fully vaccinated.
“Victorians have sacrificed so much to protect their families, friends and the whole community from coronavirus – and have saved countless lives because of it,” Mr Andrews said.
“The milestone we’re about to hit marks a new and hopeful path for the whole state – allowing businesses to reopen and Victorians to get back to things they love.”
Here’s what it means for you:
No restrictions on leaving your home or curfew
In metropolitan Melbourne, the curfew and the 15-kilometre travel radius will be lifted, however, movement between regional Victoria and metropolitan Melbourne will only be allowed for permitted reasons.
This is to ensure Melburnians don’t spread the virus further into regional Victoria while the state rushes towards the 80 per cent double-vaccinated target.
Mr Andrews said it was still far too risky to open up intrastate travel between regional and metro Victoria.
“There is a world of difference between 80 per cent protection and 70 per cent. That can change, but it’s not quite right now,” he said.
“Give it 10 days and it’ll change.”
Work from home continues
People in metropolitan Melbourne must continue to work from home if they can.
Authorised workers are required to have had at least one dose of the vaccine to work on site.
Large-scale construction sites will increase to 100 per cent capacity but only if all workers are fully vaccinated.
Child care and schools
Child care will be open to children who are already attending, as well as children whose parents or guardians are fully vaccinated.
The return to school plan will also be brought forward in line with the rest of these settings, with the start of the staggered return of grade 3 to year 11 in metro Melbourne commencing on Friday, October 22.
You can have people over for dinner
Up to 10 people (including dependents) per day will be able to visit homes in both regional and metropolitan Melbourne.
To ensure this is done safely, it’s highly recommended that Victorians only permit people aged 12 years and over who are fully vaccinated to visit them at home.
Mr Andrews said the government was confident Victorians would be able to host 30 people to their homes by Christmas.
Mr Andrews also said the government would not be imposing time limits or visit amount limits, but urged people to use common sense.
Hospitality and entertainment
Most outdoor settings – outdoor cafes, cinemas and physical recreation facilities, like pools – will open with up to 50 people per venue, but are subject to density limits and only for those who are fully vaccinated.
Indoor settings, like restaurants and cafes, will be able to reopen with up to 20 people indoors with density limits, and only if all attendees – including workers – are fully vaccinated.
The government says this is a higher cap than planned in the initial roadmap and the change has been made after discussions between the sector and the public health team.
But brick and mortar shopping will have to wait
Retail is still set to open when 80 per cent of 16+ Victorians are fully vaccinated — expected to be in 10 days from this Thursday.
Mr Andrews said retail was too risky a setting to open up at current vaccination rates.
“We’ve tried to be balanced, we’ve tried to be as fair as possible,” he said.
“Wherever you draw lines, whenever you write lists, there will always be some people who are on the wrong side of the line or not on the list and I get that.”
Religious gatherings, weddings and funerals
Religious gatherings, weddings and funerals will be able to take place with up to 50 people outdoors and 20 people indoors subject to density limits and only if all attendees are fully vaccinated.
If vaccination status is unknown, 10 people are permitted indoors for funerals, weddings and religious gatherings.
Masks are here to stay
Masks will still be required, both indoors and outdoors, for all Victorians.
Mr Andrews said the mask mandate would remain in effect, with no changes to the rules outlined on the current roadmap. However, as indicated in the roadmap, masks would no longer be required outdoors after reaching the 80 per cent vaccination mark.
But you can get a haircut, with hairdressers and beauty services open indoors to five fully vaccinated patrons.
Regional Victoria settings
In regional Victoria, indoor settings – like restaurants, cafes and gyms – will increase from 10 to 30 people per venue, if everyone is fully vaccinated.
Outdoor venues will increase from 20 to up to 100 people per venue, but only if everyone is fully vaccinated. If vaccination status is unknown, the venue can only have a total of 20 people.
For Victorians, the next milestone in the roadmap will be when Victoria hits the 80 per cent double-dose vaccination target, which is predicted to be the first week of November.
Mr Andrews said although the number of new cases was high, the critical statistic of hospitalisations had stayed low and allowed the government to ease restrictions.
However, Mr Andrews warned that any further relaxation of the rules would result in too much strain on the hospital system.
“The Burnet [Institute] modelling also makes the point that if we were to rush and try and do all the opening up that we had shadowed at 80 per cent this Thursday midnight at 70 per cent, then we would have an unsustainable number of people who get really very, very sick,” he said.
