Thousands of SA businesses finally able to reopen after COVID-19 restrictions closed them down
Businesses across SA were finally able to flip the closed sign on Monday and reopen after months of COVID-19 lockdown, with discussions now turning to borders.
SA News
Don't miss out on the headlines from SA News. Followed categories will be added to My News.
- Bring back the pokies, say pubs – but is it safe?
- Check out these subscriber-only specials, giveaways and prizes
Thousands of South Australian businesses were able to cut off coronavirus shackles on Monday amid mounting calls for the easing of COVID-19 restrictions to be accelerated.
As he enjoyed his first beer in three months, Premier Steven Marshall said SA’s health successes meant the state was on track to become Australia’s first “COVIDsafe” area.
His comments came as new rules were introduced to hospitality and licensed venues, beauticians, hairdressers, gyms as well as cinemas, 10 weeks after virus shutdowns were enforced.
But as SA recorded a sixth consecutive day of no new cases, industry leaders last night urged authorities to accelerate relaxing restrictions.
The state’s powerful transition committee, comprising Police Commissioner Grant Stevens, chief public health officer Professor Nicola Spurrier and other department chiefs, meets on Tuesday with border closures among its agenda items.
Mr Marshall, who returned to the gym on Monday, said borders would be reopened when safe, as he said a proposal to further increase indoor patron numbers to 50 per area was being explored in time for the AFL Showdown in a fortnight.
He told The Advertiser while it would be “fabulous”, it was “unlikely” crowds could watch the game live. “Let’s just wait to see how we go with our case number and importantly our testing numbers,” he said.
He also said border rules needed to remain in place for now as the Government negotiates with the ACT and Tasmania to open “travel bubbles”.
Business SA boss Martin Haese urged easing border restrictions as soon as it was safe.
“With so much damage done to so many bottom lines, even though the doors may now be open for some, we are not out of the woods yet,” he said.
Earlier on Monday at the Alma Tavern in Norwood, the Premier hailed a new era as he said authorities were striking a “good balance”.
“South Australia is back open for business – the tills are ringing, the customers are coming back in and employers are returning to work,” he said.
He said SA was on track to become the first Australian “COVIDsafe” area but didn’t provide further details.
“I think we have done particularly well on the health front and if we can continue to maintain that high level of testing and low or no numbers being reported … it just opens up a world of possibilities to get people back to work and into that COVID-safe environment,” he said.
On Monday the state’s 6500 hotels, pubs, clubs, restaurants, wineries and bars could host groups of up to 20 patrons in an indoor and outdoor areas, capped at 80 people per venue.
Australian Hotels Association SA general manager Ian Horne said patrons “multibooking” venues and then failing to attend was causing problems and he reiterated his call for restrictions to be eased more quickly amid world-leading health results.
“It is all about jobs and the only way to get the majority of staff to work is the get the majority of services back,” he said.
Most of the state’s 2350 fitness businesses reopened, along with up to 10,000 beauty and hairdressing salons. Cinemas could host limited patrons and some outdoor contact sports training was allowed.
Fitness Australia regional manager Steve Grace said most gyms could safely reopen at full capacity. He said the benefits of gyms was wide ranging after months of isolation.
“The public seemed to be really happy to get back to the gym,” he said.
More than 101,00 virus tests have been conducted as total local cases stand at 440.
A British woman remains the only active case after she was allowed into SA to farewell her dying father.