VICTORIA’S lockdown has been extended for another week, but regional residents will soon get to enjoy lighter restrictions than our Melburnian counterparts.
While Melbourne will stay in hard lockdown until at least next Thursday, rules for regional Victoria are set to be eased from 11.59pm tomorrow if low test results stay on track over the next 24 hours.
COVID-19 restrictions at a glance: What you need to know
From tomorrow night, the five reasons to leave home will be lifted for regional Victorian residents and there will be no limit on how far from home people can travel, although regional Victorians may only visit Melbourne for permitted reasons.
Gatherings are no longer limited to two people, with outdoor meetings now capped at 10 people, not including infants under 12 months old. Visitors to the home are still not allowed, with the exception of intimate partners or single person bubbles.
Retail will resume, while food and hospitality will reopen for seated service only, capped at 50 people per venue and subject to a one person per four square metres density limit.
Religious ceremonies and funerals will also be capped at 50 people, and weddings capped at 10.
Schools will reopen for all year levels and junior outdoor community sport will return, and adults can resume training outdoors. Outdoor pools and swimming classes can reopen with a limit of 50 people and a density quota of one per four square metres.
Masks must still be worn indoors when outside the home, and outdoors where 1.5m physical distancing is not possible. Personal services like hairdressing, beauty and tattooing can resume so long as a mask can be worn.
QR code requirements will be ramped up, with people to be required to check into all retail settings, such as supermarkets, shops and cafes. Businesses that are open in regional Victoria but closed in Melbourne must check the ID of everyone they serve.
The ring of steel will come into play as restrictions ease in regional areas, with Melburnians banned from travelling to regional Victoria for the Queen’s Birthday long weekend, while regional residents are free to travel.
Acting Premier James Merlino and Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton fronted the cameras at noon to announce the changes, with Mr Merlino telling media “the Government had no choice” but to continue restrictions.
“If we don’t do this, this thing will get away,” he said.
“This variant of concern will become uncontrollable and people will die. No one – no one – wants to repeat last winter.”
Mr Merlino also announced a further support package for businesses hit by the circuit-breaker.
“The Government is adding a further $209 million, this is on top of the $250 million package that the Treasurer and I announced on Sunday, and that will include $181 million to increase the business cost assistance program,” he said.
“If you are restricted to one week, then it is a $2500 grant. If you are restricted to the two weeks of this lockdown period, then you are eligible for $5000.”
A $28 million boost for the licensed hospitality venue fund will also double grants for eligible businesses.
However, Mr Merlino said the Federal Government had so far refused to come to the table in support for workers.
“As we did last week, we have also renewed our request to the Commonwealth to activate a JobKeeper-style support for Victorians who have been impacted by these restrictions,” he said.
“The Treasurer (Tim Pallas) has been calling Josh Frydenberg this morning to put that request, and I will be speaking to the Prime Minister later today and I do hope that the Commonwealth will swiftly confirm that they will step up and provide that support.
“If they do not, I will be raising this directly at National Cabinet on Friday.”
As the lockdown continues in Melbourne, the five reasons to leave home (accessing essential food and supplies, authorised work or education, care and caregiving, exercise and getting vaccinated) will remain and masks must continue to be worn outside the home.
From Friday, people in Melbourne will be able to travel up to 10km for exercise and metropolitan students in Years 11 and 12 will be able to return to school.
Mr Merlino was hopeful restrictions could ease next week, but ruled out Melburnians being able to travel further afield over the long weekend.
Victoria recorded six new locally acquired COVID-19 cases overnight, taking the outbreak to a total of 60 cases, after another record day of testing.
