Premier Daniel Andrews has launched Victoria’s new COVIDSafe Summer plan to give people more certainty about what the next couple of months are expected to look like.
Mr Andrews said the Plan would be in place until at least the end of January but the Public Service would see action beforehand.
“For those sick of only seeing their colleagues in a square on the screen, we’ll be able to move to a 50 per cent return for office workers by 11 January, after considering the public health advice at the time,” Mr Andrews said.
“For the Victorian Public Service, up to 25 per cent will be able to return to the office from 11 January, moving up to 50 per cent on 8 February,” he said.
He said the restrictions that remain under the COVIDSafe Summer changes would see the community through the summer months, living as normally as it can until a greater sense of what the rest of 2021 might look like comes along.
He said that under the COVIDSafe Summer changes, masks were only required in a limited number of places – on public transport, in rideshare vehicles and taxis, and in some retail settings, including indoor shopping centres, supermarkets, department stores and indoor markets.
“While masks are no longer mandated in most circumstances, the evidence is clear wearing a face covering makes a real difference in slowing the spread of the virus – so masks continue to be recommended indoors or outdoors when distancing can’t be maintained,” Mr Andrews said.
“As has been previously announced, Victorians will be able to host up to 30 people in their home,” he said.
“Outdoor gatherings in public places – the beach, the park – can increase to 100.”
Mr Andrews said density limits in pubs, restaurants and cafes would shift to one person per two square metres for both indoors and outdoors with no other cap, and the use of electronic record keeping would be mandatory.
The premier said the two square meter rule would apply to beauty services, if they introduced electronic record keeping; retail businesses; as well as funerals and weddings.
“For those who want to dance on their special day – or maybe even the Nutbush – dancefloors will be able to host up to 50 people, with a density of one person per four square metres,” he said.
Mr Andrews said the same density limits would apply for nightclubs and community facilities, like libraries and RSLs.
The two-page COVIDSafe Summer – How we live in Victoria Plan can be accessed at this PS News link.
