Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews today announced the Government’s plan for easing coronavirus restrictions in the state.
The Premier started off his announcement about a roadmap to a new COVID-normal saying “This job, the great honour that I have to lead our state, every day is filled with decisions that are really, really difficult. Some of them are difficult because they are a genuine 50-50 choice.
“You are not quite certain which option you choose. Others are difficult because you know what the consequences of those decisions will be. Some of them are indeed heartbreaking. This is not a 50-50 choice,” the Premier said.
The Premier stressed that the modelling that indicates that:
“if we open up too fast then we have a very high likelihood, a very high likelihood that we are not really opening up at all. We are just beginning a third wave. And we will be back in and out of restrictions, coming in and out of lockdown, before the end of the year.
But there are some changes to the two-week extension of stage four until September 28
Here are the salient points to note:
From 11:59pm on Sunday, 13 September
- Curfew across metropolitan Melbourne will be eased to 9 pm to 5 am.
- Restrictions on public gatherings allow 2 people or a household to meet outdoors for 2 hours maximum.
- This means that exercise will be increased to two hours per day
- If you live alone or are a single parent with all your children under 18 you will be able to have 1 nominated visitor to your home.
- Singles will be able to partner up with someone else and visit each other. The five-kilometre rule will not apply, but the curfew will.
- Playgrounds will reopen.
READ MORE: The roadmap for workplaces: find out when each workplace will reopen in Melbourne
Current restrictions
- Business restrictions still apply.
- Services and industries that are able to remain operational arerequired to have a COVIDSafe Plan.
- Employers that require their staff to attend a work site must issue a worker permit to their employees – this is the employer’s responsibility.
- Stage 3 restrictions still apply throughout regional Victoria.
- Stage 4 restrictions remain in place across metropolitan Melbourne
- Use of face coverings is mandatory throughout Victoria.
- The New South Wales border is closed. Victorian residents require a permit to enter New South Wales.
READ MORE: Coronavirus restrictions in your state
Roadmap to reopening
The Victorian Government has released a four-step plan to ease Melbourne out of its tight coronavirus restrictions.
The Coronavirus (COVID-19) roadmap to reopening for Metropolitan Melbourne and country Victoria is outlined in this path toward COVID Normal on the Vic.Gov.Au website.
The plan shows stage 4 restrictions will remain in place for another two weeks, with some minor changes.
Restrictions will start to ease further from September 28, moving towards a final step by late November, if the city reaches a targeted drops in coronavirus cases.