Australia Community Corona Virus

New COVID-19 restrictions for regional Victoria and Melbourne from 11:59pm Thursday

Source: abcnews

Victoria will come back together this week, as restrictions are eased further in Melbourne and in the regions. 

Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton says the state is not at a stage of COVID-normal just yet, and some restrictions will remain in place. 

Here are all the new rules and restrictions that will be in place for at least seven days from 11:59pm on Thursday, June 17.

MASKS

Melbourne:

Face masks must be carried at all times and worn indoors except at home or if an exemption applies.

They must be worn outdoors where 1.5 metres of physical distancing cannot be maintained. 

Regional:

Face masks must be carried at all times and worn indoors except at home or if an exemption applies.

They must be worn outdoors where 1.5 metres of physical distancing cannot be maintained.

MOVEMENT

Melbourne:

Movement between metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria is allowed, with some restrictions.

Travel to alpine resorts is permitted but visitors must have had a COVID test within 72 hours of leaving Melbourne, and received a negative result. Children under two years are not included.

Visitors must be able to show evidence of a negative test to enter a ski field.

Professor Sutton suggested an SMS on a mobile phone confirming the negative result would suffice, but said more detail would be published soon.

Regional:

There are no restrictions on movement within regional Victoria.

Regional Victorians can travel to metropolitan Melbourne.

HOSPITALS AND CARE

Melbourne:

No visitors are permitted into aged care or other residential facility settings, except for end-of-life reasons and other excepted reasons such as essential care and support.

Visits from prospective residents are permitted with no more than one person accompanying.

Visitors to hospitals are only allowed if it’s for patients on end-of-life care, a parent accompanying a child, or to support a partner giving birth.

Regional:

No visitors are permitted into aged care or other residential facility settings, except for end-of-life reasons and other excepted reasons such as essential care and support.

Visits from prospective residents are permitted with no more than one person accompanying.

Visitors to hospitals are only allowed if it’s for patients on end-of-life care, a parent accompanying a child, or to support a partner giving birth.

EDUCATION AND CHILDCARE

Melbourne:

Schools, early learning centres, childcare, kinder and family daycare all remain open. 

People in higher education or training should continue to work from home if possible.

Regional:

Schools, early learning centres, childcare, kinder and family daycare all remain open. 

People in higher education or training should continue to work from home if possible.

WORKPLACES

Melbourne:

If you can work from home you should continue to do so.

Offices will be allowed to have 50 per cent of staff return or up to 20 people in total, whichever is greater.

QR code check-ins will remain at workplaces. 

Regional:

If you can work from home you should continue to do so.

Up to 75 per cent of staff can return to the office, or up to 30 people, whichever is greater. 

QR code check-ins will remain at workplaces. 

GATHERINGS

Melbourne:

Visitors to the home are capped at two adults per day, together or separately, plus their dependents. 

Melburnians will be able to gather outdoors in groups of up to 20.

Regional:

People in regional Victoria can now have five adult visitors to their home per day, plus their dependents.

Up to 50 people can now attend public gatherings.

SHOPPING

Melbourne:

All forms of retail must abide by a density limit of one person per 4 square metres.

Auction houses can open with a new patron cap of 150 people per venue including 75 people indoors.

The Service Victoria QR code app must be used to check in at all retail stores and venues.

Regional:

All forms of retail must abide by a density limit of one person per 4 square metres.

Auction houses can open with no patron cap.

The Service Victoria QR code app must be used to check in at all retail stores and venues.

WEDDINGS AND FUNERALS

Melbourne:

Weddings are permitted with no more than 20 people (including the two persons being married, celebrant, two witnesses).

Funerals are permitted with 75 people (and those necessary to conduct the funeral). Children under 12 months old are not counted towards this cap.

Regional:

Weddings are permitted with no more than 50 people (including the two persons being married, celebrant, two witnesses).

Funerals are permitted with 100 people (and those necessary to conduct the funeral). Children under 12 months old are not counted towards this cap.

ENTERTAINMENT

Melbourne:

Indoor seated entertainment venues may have up to 50 per cent capacity or a maximum of 75 people. A group limit of 10 applies.

The density quotient of one person per 4 square metres applies to all entertainment venues.

Outdoor venues may have up to 50 per cent of seated capacity to a maximum of 150 people.

Indoor non-seated venues can have up to 75 people per venue.

Outdoor, non-seated venues can have group sizes of up to 20 people.

Arcades, escape rooms, and bingo centres may open with a maximum of 50 people per venue.

Drive-in cinemas can have a maximum of 150 patrons but they must remain in their vehicles and there can be no more than 75 people indoors in shared spaces. 

Amusement parks may open with no outdoor venue limit, but no more than 75 people indoors.

Retail betting venues must have a maximum of 150 people, with no more than 75 people indoors.

Casinos can open with 10 exclusive rooms, electronic gaming machines and electronic gaming tables only with a maximum of 10 machines per room and every second machine must be closed or have 1.5m between machines.

Electronic gaming is open to a maximum of 50 people per venue.

Brothels may open with a cap of 50 people indoors with the density quotient of 1 person per 4 square metres.

Karaoke and nightclubs can open with a maximum of 50 people for seated service. Dancefloors are not permitted.

Regional:

Indoor seated entertainment venues may have up to 50 per cent capacity or a maximum of 300 people. A group limit of 50 applies.

The density quotient of one person per 4 square metres applies to all entertainment venues.

Outdoor venues may have up to 75 per cent of seated capacity to a maximum of 1,000 people.

Indoor, non-seated venues can have up to 300 people per venue.

Outdoor, non-seated venues can have group sizes of up to 50 people and no more than 1,000 people per space.

Arcades, escape rooms, and bingo centres may open with a maximum of 300 people per venue.

Drive-in cinemas can have a maximum of 300 patrons.

Amusement parks must abide by the density quotient of one person per 4 square metres and have groups of no more than 50 people. 

Retail betting venues must have a maximum of 300 people.

Electronic gaming is open to a maximum of 300 people per venue with machines spaced 1.5m apart.

Brothels may open with a cap of 300 people per venue.

Karaoke and nightclubs can have a maximum of 300 people for seated service. Dancefloors are not permitted.

BEAUTY SERVICES

Melbourne:

All hairdressers, personal services, and beauty services may reopen and masks can be removed.   

Density quotients of 1 person per 4 square metres apply.

Regional:

Regional beauty services, hairdressing and personal care are open and masks may be removed.

Density quotients of 1 person per 4 square metres apply.

SPORT AND EXERCISE

Melbourne:

Indoor sports centres, play centres, and trampolining centres will be open with a density quotient of one person per 4 square metres.

Physical recreation and sports centres can reopen with density quotients and a maximum indoor venue capacity of 50 people indoors and 150 people overall.

No venue limit applies to venues where a 100m distance can be maintained between groups, such as golf.

Community sport is open for all ages for training and competitions but spectators are not allowed.

It is limited to the number of people needed to participate in and facilitate the activity and must be within venue caps.

Regional:

Indoor sports centres, play centres, and trampolining centres will be open with a density quotient of 1 person per 4 square metres.

Physical recreation and sports centres’ capacity rises to 300 people per indoor space and and an outdoor cap of 1,000 people.

Community sport is open for all ages for training and competitions and spectators are allowed within venue limits.

It is limited to the number of people needed to participate in and facilitate the activity and must be within venue caps.

RELIGIOUS GATHERINGS

Melbourne:

Permitted for up to 150 people per venue, including no more than 75 people indoors, density quotient of one person per 4 square meters applies.

Regional:

Permitted for up to 300 people per venue, density quotient of one person per 4 square meters applies.

FOOD

Melbourne:

Food and drink venues may resume seated services with a maximum of 150 people with no more than 75 people indoors. Group sizes are restricted to 10.

A density limit of one person per 4 square metres applies.

Venues can have up to 25 patrons before the density quotient applies.

Regional:

Food and drink venues may resume seated services with a maximum of 300. Group sizes are restricted to 50.

REAL ESTATE

Melbourne:

Inspections permitted to a maximum of 10 people, subject to density quotient of one person per 4 square meters.

Regional:

Auctions and inspections permitted subject to density quotient of one person per 4 square meters.

PUBLIC SPACES

Melbourne:

You can leave home for any reason and the 25-kilometre travel limit no longer applies. Public gatherings of up to 20 people are permitted.

Community facilities can have up to 150 people, with no more than 75 people indoors, and groups capped at 10 people.

The density quotient of one person per 4 square meters applies. 

Regional:

Regional Victorians can leave home for any reason and public gatherings of up to 50 people are permitted.

Community facilities can have up to 300 people, and groups capped at 50 people. 

The density quotient of one person per 4 square meters applies.

TRAVEL AND TOURISM

Melbourne:

Outdoor tourism may resume with a maximum group of 50 people and group booking limit of 20 people.

Indoor tourism has a maximum tour size of 10 people.

Accommodation may be booked for single households plus two adults and their dependents.

Regional:

Accommodation is open but bookings are only for single households plus five adults and their dependents.

There are no caps on outdoor tourism but group bookings are limited to 50 people.

The tour must be operated by the minimum number of people required.

Indoor tourism can have a maximum tour size of 50 people.