Victoria has returned to its pre-lockdown CovidSafe settings, following an announcement from Premier Daniel Andrews on Friday.
Mr Andrews announced on 26 February that restrictions would be eased, allowing for more visitors in the home, reduced mask wearing and more workers to return to the office.
The move to further ease restrictions follows a reduced exposure risk and low community transmission.
Mr Andrews thanked the Victorian community for its patience in dealing with the ongoing pandemic.
“I want to thank every Victorian for making today’s announcement possible – and I want to thank every Victorian for their patience. It’s been a hard slog, but Victorians are doing what they do best as we work to beat this virus: staying the course and looking out for each other,” he said.
Under current restrictions, masks are only required on public transport, in rideshare vehicles and taxis and in sensitive settings such as aged care facilities. They are also required in including indoor shopping centres, supermarkets, department stores, indoor markets.
Masks continue to be recommended both indoors and outdoors when social distancing cannot be maintained.
Victorians can now host up to 30 people in their home per day. Outdoor gatherings in public places – the beach, the park – are now capped at 100 people.
Most workers will return to the office from Monday 1 March, with office workers able to return at 75 percent capacity.
Density limits in pubs, restaurants and cafes will remain at 1 person per 2sq metres for both indoors and outdoors with no other cap, so long as electronic record keeping – a QR code – is used.
For small operations, there’ll be no density limits if the patron number is under 25 and they will still be required to keep records.
For beauty services, businesses remain at 1 person per 2sq metres – if they also introduce electronic record keeping.
For businesses where that’s not possible, density limits of 1 person per 4 sq metres will apply.
Retail businesses also remain at 1 person per 2sq metres and electronic record keeping is recommended where practical.
Funerals and weddings are subject to a density limit of 1 person per 2sq metres. The same rules will apply to nightclubs and our community facilities, like our libraries, RSLs, and community halls.
In gyms, the density limit remains 1 per 4sq metres – with exercise classes limited to 50 indoors and 100 outdoors.
The State of Emergency – which needs to be declared so the Chief Health Officer can issue directions to respond to the pandemic and keep Victorians safe – will be extended to 11:59pm, 15 March 2021.
