RULES RELAXED: Acting Premier announces easing of Victoria’s COVID-19 restrictions

From 11.59pm on Thursday, rules will ease in both Melbourne and regional Victoria.

It comes as Victoria recorded no new local COVID-19 cases yesterday, for the second consecutive day.

The new rules will be in place for two weeks.

In both regional Victoria and metropolitan Melbourne, the cap on outdoor gatherings in public spaces will be lifted to 50 people.

Meanwhile, statewide, up to 15 visitors will be permitted in a home per day. This rule will also apply to holiday rentals.

Masks will remain mandatory indoors.

• FULL TABLE OF RESTRICTIONS AVAILABLE HERE

Up to 15,000 fans can attend the A-League Grand Final at AAMI Park, the MCG can host 25,000 fans at the football and John Cain Arena can host 5000 fans for the NBL Grand Final.

Speaking at today’s COVID-19 press conference Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said he can’t guarantee there won’t be future lockdowns if outbreaks occur.

“I wouldn’t want to set it aside as never being available to us as a tool,” he said.

Press PLAY below for some of the today’s press conference and Neil Mitchell’s summary

RULES FROM 11.59PM THURSDAY:

• PUBLIC GATHERINGS: Permitted for up to 50 people in outdoor public spaces
• HOME GATHERINGS: Up to 15 visitors per day permitted
• MASKS: Mandatory in indoor spaces outside the home
• FUNERALS AND WEDDINGS: Up to 300 people may attend, subject to venue density limits. Dancefloors not permitted at weddings.
• RELIGIOUS GATHERINGS AND CEREMONIES:
  • Melbourne: Up to 300 people permitted and 1 person per 4sqm rule
  • Regional Victoria: No overarching venue limit and 1 person per 2sqm rule in regional Victoria.
• OFFICES: Worker cap increases to 75 per cent or 30 people, whichever is greater, and the work from home if you can rule is removed for Melbourne. Offices subject to 1 person per 4sqm rule in metropolitan Melbourne and 1 person per 2sqm in regional Victoria
• HIGHER EDUCATION: Study from home requirement removed.
• HOSPITALITY:
  • Melbourne: Seated service only. Smaller venues can have up to 25 patrons before density quotient applies. Venues less than 600sqm can operate with lesser of density quotient of 1 per 2sqm or venue cap of 150 patrons provided they have a COVID Check-in Marshal. For larger venues, maximum patron cap of 300 per venue and density quotient of 1 person per 4sqm applies.
  • Regional Victoria: Seated service only. Density quotient of 1 person per 2 sqm applies when using a COVID Check-in Marshal, otherwise density quotient of 1 person per 4sqm applies. Smaller venues can have up to 25 patrons before the density
    quotient applies.
• PHYSICAL RECREATION AND SPORT:
  • Melbourne: Open, subject to a density quotient of 1 person per 4sqm. Maximum venue capacity 300 people per indoor space and
    1000 people outdoors. Maximum group size: 50 people
  • Regional Victoria: Open, subject to a density quotient of 1 person per 2 sqm applies when using a COVID Check-in Marshal, otherwise density quotient of 1 person per 4sqm applies. Maximum capacity 300 people per indoor space and 1,000
    people outdoors. Maximum group size: 50 people
• INDOOR FIXED SEATED ENTERTAINMENT:
  • Melbourne: Open up to 75 per cent of seated capacity up to a maximum of 300 people per space. No group limit
  • Regional Victoria: Open up to 75 per cent of seated capacity up to a maximum of 300 people per space. No group limit
• OUTDOOR FIXED SEATED ENTERTAINMENT: 
  • Melbourne: Open up to 75 per cent of seated capacity up to a maximum of 1,000
  • Regional Victoria: Open up to 75 per cent of seated capacity up to a maximum of 1,000 people per space. No group limit
• INDOOR NON-SEATED ENTERTAINMENT:
  • Melbourne: Open to a maximum of 300 people per space. Density quotient of 1 person per 4sqm applies
  • Regional Victoria: Open to a maximum of 300 people per space. Density quotient of 1 person per 2 sqm applies when using a COVID Check-in Marshal, otherwise density quotient of 1 person per 4sqm applies
•  OUTDOOR NON-SEATED ENTERTAINMENT:
  • Melbourne: Density quotient of 1 person per 4sqm applies to a maximum of 300 per space indoors; and 1,000 per space outdoors
  • Regional Victoria: Open to a maximum of 300 people per space. Density quotient of 1 person per 2 sqm applies when using a COVID Check-in Marshal, otherwise density quotient of 1 person per 4sqm applies
• INSPECTIONS AND AUCTIONS:
  • Melbourne: Auctions and inspections permitted subject to a density quotient of 1 person per 4sqm. No patron cap.
  • Regional Victoria: Auctions and inspections permitted with density quotient of 1 person per 2 sqm when using a COVID Check-in Marshal, otherwise density quotient of 1 person per 4sqm applies. No patron cap.
• CARE FACILITY AND HOSPITAL VISITS:
  • Two visitors at a time, up to five per day, except for in end of life circumstances where the limit is two visitors at a time with no total limit per day.

Image: Darrian Traynor / Getty