People of VIC, rejoice! Victoria’s statewide lockdown will end after 12 days tonight, with stay-home rules scrapped, students to return to school and businesses to reopen. Oh, and hello again intrastate travel.
Premier Daniel Andrews said there was a lot of good news today, as he announced Victoria’s lockdown – the state’s fifth in 17 months – would lift at 00:00 am on Wednesday 28 July, ending stay-home orders and the five-kilometre travel limit.
“I want to thank all the public health team, contact traders, the whole team who have done an amazing job, worked very hard to not only run alongside and keep pace with this outbreak but to get out in front of it.
“It is also because of the hard work of every Victorian, following the rules, getting tested even with the mildest of symptoms, playing your part to keep your family safe and every family safe, and for us to get through this,” Premier Daniel Andrews said.
So what do the new restrictions mean?
Under the eased restrictions, schools can welcome back students for all year levels, hospitality venues can reopen for seated service, and outdoor gatherings are allowed for up to 10 people.
Live music venues, dance classes and gyms can also throw open their doors with a strict density limit of one person per four square metres.
But many onerous restrictions will linger, with health authorities wary of the highly infectious Delta variant that sparked the latest shutdown.
Oddly, Victorians won’t be allowed to have visitors to their homes for the next two weeks at least, and masks and checking in will remain compulsory indoors and outdoors when social distancing is not possible.
In addition, no crowds will be allowed at sports events or theatres.
The good news, does, however, mean movement between metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria will be unrestricted. So intrastate travel is back on.
People will also be able to revisit Victoria’s ski fields. Though, due to the higher risk in these settings, entry to Victoria’s alpine resorts will require a COVID test and receipt of a negative result within 72 hours before visiting. Children under 12 years of age are not required to be tested.
Restrictions will remain in place from 11:59 pm tonight for an additional two weeks.
Source: AAP