Daniel Andrews restrictions easeDaniel Andrews restrictions ease

“Now is the time to open up”, says Daniel Andrews

Finally, Melbourne’s coronavirus restrictions will start to ease from 11:59pm Tonight, a cautious and a tiny bit cheerful Premier Daniel Andrews announced yesterday.

There was no new case of COVID-19 recorded yesterday. It gave the Premier a reason to feel good and a little bit relieved.

The last time Victoria had zero cases was 9 June, 139 days ago. Even more incredibly, it’s zero cases off the back of a huge testing drive.

“Over the course of this weekend, we asked Victorians living in our northern suburbs to get tested. They did just that.

“In 24 hours, we have been able to process an additional 14,024 tests — 3196 of them from these communities. This morning we’ve processed an extra 1157.

And not a single new case has been found”, Premier Daniel Andrews said.

And the Premier said Melbourne was ready to take “big steps” out of lockdown.

“Now is the time to open up. Now is the time to congratulate every single Victorian for staying the course,” Daniel Andrews said.

From midnight tonight, Melbourne will move out of lockdown and into the Third Step, moving from “stay home” to “stay safe”,

From 11:59pm tonight:

There will be no more restrictions on the reasons to leave home.

The 25-kilometre limit though, will remain in place.

The border between regional Victoria and Melbourne will also remain in place.

Cafes, restaurants and pubs can reopen with outdoors seating limit of up to 50, and indoors up to 20.

Retail,  beauty and personal care services can re-open.

Outdoor contact sport for those aged 18 and under will also begin again

Non-contact sport for adults, Personal Training, Fitness and Dance classes can also be held outdoors with up to ten people,

Outdoor pools can have up to 50.

Libraries and community venues will be able to open for outdoor events.

Outdoor entertainment venues can also begin hosting visitors.

Outdoor religious ceremonies allowed with up to 20 people, in addition to those required for the service.

Indoor religious services can be held with up to 10.

Weddings will increase to ten people, and funerals up to 20.

Workplaces will no longer need to be on the permitted work list to open and the ability to work will change to “if you can work from home you must work from home”.

For now, work permits will still be required for workers from Melbourne travelling into regional Victoria — and vice versa.

Further easing from November 8
If the virus is under control as desired, there will be further easing off restrictions and opening up of the state’s economy.

From November 8:

The 25km limit will come off.

Pubs and restaurants will be able to have up to 40 patrons inside and 70 outside.

Religious gatherings will expand with up 20 people and a faith leader indoors, and 50 outside.

Gyms and indoor fitness will be able to reopen.

Accommodation for holidaying will also reopen.

The border between the city and the rest of our state will also fall away. Our state is whole again.

There will be an update on 8 November on the timelines and thresholds for taking the Last Step.

By Singh