Following four months of lockdown, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews announced on Monday that metropolitan Melbourne could "open up".
Retail, pubs and restaurants have all been given the green light to reopen from midnight Tuesday, meaning Melburnians are no longer under 'stay-at-home' restrictions.
It comes as the state recorded zero new cases of coronavirus for the second consecutive day on Tuesday, bringing their 14-day rolling average of cases to 2.8.
Just like all other states in Australia, some restrictions will remain to mitigate the potential for future community transmission.
From Tuesday 11:59pm October 27 2020, Victoria's restriction changes will mean:
- If you live in metropolitan Melbourne you can still only travel 25kms.
- A work permit is no longer required - except for those who are travelling between metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria.
- Face masks are still required when leaving home.
- You can see friends and family outdoors in a public place in a group of up to 10 people.
- Home visits will be restricted to one per day. This means anyone who has a visitor cannot also visit another home on that day.
- Households are asked to keep a record of who has visited their home and when. This 'log book' will help with contact tracing if infection emerges.
- All shops are open, with a limited number of patrons allowed in each shop at any one time.
- Personal care and body art services can open.
- Home-based businesses can open (with COVIDSafe rules).
- Cafes and restaurants will open, with a limit of 20 people inside 50 outside.
- Non-contact sport outdoors can resume for adults, although limited to the minimum number of people needed to play.
- For people aged 18 and under, contact and non-contact sport outdoors can resume.
- Exercise is allowed outdoors in a group of up to 10 people, plus a trainer.
- Outdoor weddings allowed with a maximum of 10 people, including the couple and two witnesses.
- Funerals are allowed with up to 20 people.
- Outdoor religious gatherings near a place of worship for up to 20 people plus a faith leader are allowed. Indoor religious ceremonies are allowed with up to 10 people plus a faith leader.
- Accommodation remains closed for the purposes of holidaying.
- Restrictions on travelling into regional Victoria remain.
Here's what will change from the 8th November for Victorians:
- The 25km travel limit will be removed.
- The border between regional Victoria and metropolitan Melbourne will be removed.
- Gyms and fitness studios will open in Melbourne with a maximum of 20 people per space, one person per eight square metres.
- Restaurants, cafes and bars will move to an outdoor maximum of 70 people (one person per 2sqm) and 40 people indoors (10 people per space).
- Religious gatherings (including weddings) will increase to 50 people outdoors and 20 people indoors.
- Funerals will move indoors with a maximum of 20 mourners and outdoors with allow a maximum of 50 mourners.
- Indoor community sport and non-contact sport for over 18-year-olds can recommence.
Feature image: Getty.
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