Victorians had some freedoms returned to them yesterday (21 October) as the State hit its 70 per cent vaccination target, nearly a week earlier than expected.
Announcing the eased restrictions, Premier, Daniel Andrews said vaccination rates, revised modelling from the Burnet Institute and patients spending less time in hospital than anticipated meant some restrictions had been eased further than what was outlined in the State’s reopening Roadmap.
“Up to 10 people (including dependents) per day will be able to visit homes in both regional and metropolitan Melbourne,” Mr Andrews said.
“To ensure this is done safely, it’s highly recommended that Victorians only permit people aged 12 years and over who are fully vaccinated to visit them at home,” he said.
“In metropolitan Melbourne, the curfew and the 15km travel radius will be lifted, however, movement between regional Victoria and metropolitan Melbourne will only be allowed for permitted reasons.”
Mr Andrews said people in metropolitan Melbourne must continue to work from home if they could and anyone on the authorised workers list was required to have had at least one dose of vaccine in order to work on site.
The Premier said childcare would be open to children who were already attending, as well as children whose parents or guardians were fully vaccinated.
“The return-to-school plan will also be brought forward in line with the rest of these settings, with the start of the staggered return of Grade 3 to Year 11 in metro Melbourne commencing on Friday 22 October,” he said.
“Religious gatherings, weddings and funerals will be able to take place with up to 50 people outdoors and 20 people indoors subject to density limits and only if all attendees are fully vaccinated.”
Mr Andrews said most outdoor settings, including outdoor cafés, cinemas and physical recreation facilities, could open with up to 50 people per venue, but were subject to density limits and only for those who were fully vaccinated.
He said indoor settings like restaurants and cafés would be able to reopen with up to 20 people indoors, subject to density limits, and only if all attendees (including workers) were fully vaccinated.
“In regional Victoria, indoor settings – like restaurants, cafés and gyms – will increase from 10 to 30 people per venue, if everyone is fully vaccinated.”
“Masks will still be required both indoors and outdoors for all Victorians,” Mr Andrews said.
