Source:9news
Victoria has recorded eight new local cases of coronavirus on the first day of lockdown lifting.
The cases were all linked to current outbreaks and were all in quarantine throughout their entire infectious period.
As of midnight, a raft of restrictions eased across the state, with schools, gyms, and hospitality and retail outlets reopening today.
Public gatherings outdoors have been capped at 10 people, while visitors to homes are not permitted under the current rules.
Masks are still required to be worn both indoors and outdoors.
The five-kilometre travel limit has been scrapped, allowing people to travel to regional Victoria in their households.
The tight restrictions, dubbed ‘Lockdown Lite’, are set to be reviewed in two weeks’ time.
Despite lockdown lifting, Melbourne’s CBD was a ghost town this morning, with the city’s streets and laneways dead, in another blow to struggling hospitality businesses.
Cafes, restaurants and pubs rely on tourists and workers for cash flow, some telling 9News they were almost broke.
There are calls for further financial support to be provided to struggling businesses crippled by the city yoyo-ing in and out of lockdowns.
“By opening, we are not making money, we are losing money still,” a Melbourne hospitality business owner said.”We are almost going broke, honestly. You can see no one around at 8am.”
Chapel Street Precinct General Manager Chrissie Maus said many businesses would be unable to open with the strict new restrictions in place.
“Many small business owners will limp out of this fifth lockdown with reserves of money and energy on empty,” she said.”The truth is, Victoria won’t really be out of lockdown [today]. We just move into a slightly bigger cage as restrictions ease marginally.
“I predict half the cafes on Chapel Street won’t open for another few weeks because of tough density quotas that simply make it inequitable.”
