COVID-19 road maps: Victoria’s reopening plans revealed

Premier Daniel Andrews has revealed Victoria’s COVID-19 road maps.

It comes as the state recorded 63 new coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours, the lowest daily figure since June 28.

Sadly, another five people have died.

All five deaths are linked to aged care.

Announcing the state’s re-opening plans, Premier Daniel Andrews warned “you can’t run out of lockdown”.

“If we open up too fast then we have a very high likelihood … that we’re not really opening up at all, we’re just beginning a third wave,” he said.

“I want a Christmas that is a close to normal as possible and these steps are the only way we will get to that point.”

MELBOURNE

WHAT CHANGES FROM SEPTEMBER 13

• Curfew eased to 9pm to 5am
• Two people or a household can meet outdoors for two hours maximum. Exercise may be split into a maximum of two sessions per day.
• People who live alone or are single parents may nominate one visitor who may come to their home
• Playgrounds reopen
• Weddings for compassionate reasons only, maximum of five people including the couple and celebrant
• Up to 10 people may attend a funeral (babies under one year not included in person limit)

SECOND STEP: WHAT CHANGES FROM SEPTEMBER 28 (if Melbourne case rate over previous 14 days averages at 30 to 50 cases)

• 9pm to 5am curfew remains
• Four reasons to leave home – to buy food or essentials, for care or caregiving, for exercise or for work if you can’t do it from home
• Melburnians must not travel more than 5km from home, unless they have a permitted worker permit
• Up to five people from two households can meet outdoors for social interactions (children under one year are not counted in the person limit)
• Childcare and early education reopens
• Prep to Grade Two, VCE/VCAL and specialist schools return to onsite learning for term four, other grades continue remote learning
• Essential retail only with others for click and collect
• Outdoor playgrounds and outdoor pools reopen
• Outdoor personal training allowed for up to two people per trainer
• Weddings allowed for compassionate reasons with up to five people including couple and celebrant
• Outdoor religious gatherings of up to five people plus one faith leader allowed

THIRD STEP: WHAT CHANGES FROM OCTOBER 26 (if statewide case rate over previous 14 days averages at <5 and <5 cases with unknown source statewide total in past 14 days)

• No curfew
• No restrictions on reasons to leave home or distances travelled
• Up to 10 people may gather outside
• ‘Household bubbles’ – up to five visitors may visit your home from another nominated household
• Potential staged return to onsite learning for Grade 3 to 10.
• Hospitality to allow dining in with limitations including offering predominately outdoor dining, a 10 person group limit and density limits
• All retail open is except personal care
• Hairdressers reopen (but beauty/personal care do not)
• Private real estate inspections may resume by appointment, outdoor auctions allowed with gathering limits
• Outdoor contact and non-contact sport for under 18s allowed, outdoor non-contact sport for adults allowed
• Outdoor skateparks and fitness open for up to 10 people
• Weddings allowed with up to 10 people, including the couple and celebrant
• Up to 20 mourners allowed at funerals (babies under one year not included in person limit)
• Outdoor religious gatherings for up to 10 people plus a faith leader allowed
• Outdoor entertainment venues and events may reopen, subject to pre-approved plans
• Accommodation reopens with caps

LAST STEP: WHAT CHANGES FROM NOVEMBER 23 (if there are no new Victoria-wide cases for 14 days)

• No restrictions on leaving home
• Up to 50 people may gather outdoors
• Up to 20 visitors may gather at a home
• Potential staged return to onsite learning for Grade 3 to 10
• Adult education returns onsite
• Continue working from home if you can
• Hospitality to allow indoor dining for groups of no more than 20, with no more than 50 patrons. Outdoor dining subject to density quotas.
• All retail open
• Real estate inspections and auctions may return
• No exercise restrictions. All exercise facilities may reopen with safety measures in place
• Organised contact sport resumes for all ages with spectator limits.
• Weddings allowed with up to 50 people
• Up to 50 people may attend funerals (infants under 12 months excluded from person limit)
• Public worship can resume in outdoor or indoor settings subject to density limits
• Galleries, museums and other entertainment venues open with some restrictions
• Interstate travel allowed
• Accommodation reopens fully

COVID NORMAL: WHEN THERE ARE NO NEW CASES STATE-WIDE FOR 28 DAYS

• No restrictions on leaving home
• No restrictions on public gatherings but organisers encouraged to keep attendee records
• No restrictions on home gatherings but organisers encouraged to keep attendee records
• Phased return to onsite working for workers who have been working at home
• No restrictions on community sport or spectators
• No attendee limits on weddings, funerals or religious gatherings but organisers must keep records of attendees
• Interstate travel allowed
• Entertainment venues open with safety measures and record keeping

REGIONAL VICTORIA

SECOND STEP: FROM 11.59PM ON SEPTEMBER 13

• Four reasons to leave home – to buy food or essentials, for care or caregiving, for exercise, or for work if you can’t do it from home
• Up to five people from a maximum of two households may gather outside (babies under 12 months not included in person limit)
• People who live alone or are single parents may nominate one visitor who may come to their home
• Staged return to onsite learning for all students in term four
• Retail opens with density restrictions
• Outdoor playgrounds and outdoor pools reopen
• Outdoor religious gatherings (not ceremonies) of up to five people plus one faith leader allowed

THIRD STEP: WHEN REGIONAL VICTORIA REACHES FEWER THAN FIVE NEW CASES PER DAY (average over a 14 day period) & zero cases with an unknown source in past 14 days

• No restrictions on reasons to leave home or distance Victorians may travel, but social distancing remains
• Up to 10 people may gather outside
• ‘Household bubbles’ – up to five visitors may visit your home from another nominated household
• Hospitality to allow dining in with limitations including: predominately outdoor dining, a 10 person group limit and density limits
• Private real estate inspections resume by appointment only. Outdoor auctions allowed, subject to gathering limits
• Outdoor contact and non-contact sport for under 18s allowed, outdoor non-contact sport for adults allowed
• Outdoor skateparks and outdoor fitness open for up to 10 people
• Weddings allowed with up to 10 people plus a faith leader
• Funerals allowed with up to 20 people (not including infants under 12 months)
• Outdoor religious gatherings for up to 10 people plus a faith leader are allowed. Facilities reopen for private worship for households or social bubbles
• Interstate travel allowed across other areas in ‘Third Step’
• Accommodation opens with caps

LAST STEP: WHEN THERE ARE NO NEW CASES (VICTORIA-WIDE) FOR 14 DAYS 

• No restrictions on leaving home but social distancing must remain
• Up to 50 people may gather outdoors
• Up to 20 visitors allowed at a home
• Adult education returns onsite
• Continue working from home if you can
• Hospitality to allow indoor dining for groups of no more than 20, with no more than 50 patrons. Outdoor dining subject to density quotas.
• No exercise restrictions. All exercise facilities may reopen with safety measures in place.
• Organised contact sport resumes for all ages with spectator limits.
• Real estate inspections and auctions may return
• Weddings allowed with up to 50 people
• Up to 50 people may attend funerals
• Public worship can resume in outdoor or indoor settings subject to density limits
• Galleries, museums and other entertainment venues open with some restrictions
• Interstate travel allowed
• Accommodation reopens fully
• Retail reopens fully

COVID NORMAL: WHEN THERE ARE NO NEW CASES STATE-WIDE FOR 28 DAYS

• No restrictions on leaving home
• No restrictions on public gatherings but organisers encouraged to keep attendee records
• No restrictions on home gatherings but organisers encouraged to keep attendee records
• Phased return to onsite working for workers who have been working at home
• No restrictions on community sport or spectators
• No attendee limits on weddings, funerals or religious gatherings but organisers must keep records of attendees
• Interstate travel allowed
• Entertainment venues open with safety measures and record keeping