Regional Victoria set to go back into lockdown, more restrictions coming for Melburnians

Regional Victoria is set to be plunged back into lockdown - with local sport cancelled from today - while Melburnians will be hit with extreme new restrictions.

Regional Victoria is set to be plunged back into lockdown and Melbourne’s 5.1 million residents are facing a new round of harsher restrictions.

A cut in outside exercise time, a total closure of the construction industry, restricting childcare to essential workers and new travel limits were under consideration by the state government on Friday night.

The Saturday Herald Sun understands a ban on takeaway coffee and food and locking down residents in hot spots until they test negative were also options discussed to fight an emerging third wave of the coronavirus.

Premier Daniel Andrews and ministers were locked in talks on Friday afternoon and had considered making an ­announcement about new ­restrictions on Friday night, but decided to wait for new case numbers overnight.

There will be tighter restrictions imposed on Melburnians as part of the crackdown. Picture: William West

But the government did ­announce that all community sporting leagues in regional Victoria had been urged to cancel weekend activities.

A government spokeswoman said: “The situation in Melbourne and across regional Victoria is extremely concerning. Advice will be provided to government tomorrow (Saturday) morning and all options are on the table.”

The announcement of new lockdown rules will come as anti-lockdown and anti-vax protesters descend on Melbourne’s CBD.

Victoria recorded 55 new local cases on Friday, including 30 that had been out in the community while infectious. Twelve more cases, to be ­included in Saturday’s numbers, were also detected in Shepparton, with fears the fast-moving Delta variant had seeded into regional Victoria.

Mr Andrews on Friday ­refused to rule out a full statewide lockdown.

“I cannot stress enough how close to the edge we are,” the Premier said. “I cannot rule out making further changes in a range of areas. There are ­always further options.”

Victoria appears almost certain to say goodbye to AFL games for 2021 after this weekend’s last home-and-away round.

It is likely all four weeks of finals will be played outside the home of football.

The AFL plans to release its week-one finals fixture on Sunday night, with Tasmania poised to host its first AFL final.

The league is also just days from officially moving the grand final away from the MCG after it locked in a pre-grand final bye that will result in a two-week lead-in to the season decider.

Victoria’s crisis cabinet met on Friday afternoon to discuss what new restrictions were needed.

One senior source said the rapid detection of infections in Shepparton had triggered serious concerns a regional lockdown was the only way to stop further spread.

Efforts to “run down” the virus in Melbourne would be wasteful if movement at the city’s edges and in regions continued at current levels, with a host of undetected cases still expected over the weekend.

“We already have too many suburbs and too many locations across the city with positive cases,” they said.

“This is no longer focused on a couple of key locations, there are spot fires everywhere.”

Regional Victoria has not been under the same lockdowns restrictions as Melbourne since August 10.

Hospitality venues are currently open with capacity limits. Retail stores are trading and outdoor gatherings up to 10 are allowed, but home visits were still banned.

Mr Andrews warned the state was in the grips of a “very serious” situation.

“This is deadly. It will overrun our hospitals and once it gets away from us there will be no putting it back in the box,” he said.

“The question really is do we spiral out of control or don’t we? And that is a question only every Victorian, through the choice they make and the actions they take, can answer.”

Six further mystery infections were detected on Friday, in Doncaster, Port Melbourne, Brunswick, Point Cook, Pakenham, and Tullamarine.

Covid-19 commander Jeroen Weimar said it was clear that chains of transmission had expanded far wider than first thought. “It is getting to the point where it is easier to read out the suburbs where we don’t currently have lines of inquiry,” he said.

Friday’s mystery cases include a police officer, which led to Knox police station being shut for deep cleaning. It is unknown how many officers and support staff are in isolation.

FOOTY FINALS AXED

Friday night’s announcement has had ramifications for several league’s finals. Picture: Aaron Cook

The decision to call for a cancellation of community sport came as a major blow for several country football leagues which were due to kick-off their finals series this weekend.

Games were set to be held in the central Highlands, Horsham and District, Loddon Valley, Mininera and District, North Gippsland, Ovens and King, South West District and Warrnambool and District.

Heathcote District League and North Gippsland League confirmed matches will not be held for the respective competitions this weekend.

“We just have to move on,” Heathcote District League President Peter Cole said.

North Gippsland league administrator Michelle Kyle said: “we will be having a meeting to discuss [the next steps],”

The North Gippsland league was due to start its final series on Saturday.

In a statement posted online, Geelong & District Football Netball League also confirmed finals matches will not be going ahead this weekend.

“In the interest of the public health and safety of our community, GDFNL Finals scheduled for Saturday 21 August and Sunday 22 August 2021, for both football and netball, have been cancelled,” President Neville Whitley said.

“Further details will be communicated to you all as soon as we know more.”

AFL Barwon also confirmed scheduled matches will not be going ahead this weekend, adding “the health and safety of the community” was the league’s highest priority.

“We will update stakeholders with any new information regarding restrictions and protocols for community football and netball, when available,” the league said in a statement.

Premier Daniel Andrews in his daily Covid press conference. Picture: NCA NewsWire

Changes to current childcare rules are also set to be discussed.

During Victoria’s second wave exercise was limited to an hour per day and childcare was only open to essential service workers.

Premier Daniel Andrews said on Friday morning “nothing is off the table” when it comes to further restrictions.

“We cannot have this accumulation of mystery cases day in day out, and accumulation of people out and about being infectious,” Mr Andrews said.

“Nothing is off the table, I can’t rule out making further changes on a whole range of different areas.”

It comes as Shepparton recorded 17 cases on Friday afternoon on top of the 55 new locally acquired infections announced earlier in the day.

In further bad news for regional Victoria, an exposure site has emerged in Bendigo at machinery hire business Delecca’s