30 visitors per day, rules on masks, pubs eased

Masks won’t be needed in offices, Victorians can have 30 visitors at their homes and harsh restrictions on pubs and restaurants will ease as the state prepares for a “COVID-safe summer”.

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Victorians are once again able enjoy a beer at the bar under relaxed coronavirus restrictions that will deliver a major boost to hospitality venues ahead of Christmas.

From today, mask rules have also been eased, while 30 visitors are allowed at home and 100 people can gather outdoors in good news for those organising family and end-of-year celebrations.

As Victoria recorded its 37th consecutive day without a new COVID-19 case, Daniel Andrews announced a major winding back of restrictions as the government’s plan for a “COVIDSafe summer”.

“This is a remarkable achievement,” the Premier said.

“It is something that every Victorian owns and it is something that every Victorian has built through their sacrifice.”

But Mr Andrews urged Victorians to remain vigilant by getting tested if symptomatic and maintaining social distancing.

“Like most incredibly valuable things, this thing is precious and it is fragile,” he said.

“Every Victorian should be proud but this thing is not done, it is not over and it can come back.

Melbourne’s summer rules are locked in. Picture: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images.

Patron caps on pubs, restaurants and cafes have been lifted, with the venues instead limited to one person per 2sq m and mandatory electronic record keeping.

Standing service will be also return, allowing Victorians to walk-in and have a beer at the bar for the first time in months.

Dance floors will also make a comeback at weddings and nightclubs, but will be capped at 50 people with a one person per 4sq m limit.

But Victoria’s major events remain in limbo with no detail on changes to crowd capacity ahead of the Boxing Day Test or Australian Open.

Thousands of workers are set to return to the office, with 50 per cent of private sector employees able to return to work from January 11.

Public servants will be sent back at a slower rate, with 25 per cent of their capacity permitted on the same day and rising to 50 per cent on February 8.

Victoria’ Chief Health Officer Professor Brett Sutton said it was conceivable 100 per cent of workers could return to the office eventually, but density limits were an important insurance policy against further outbreaks.

“If there are tweaks that need to be made, we should take that on board,” he said.

“But we might be more mindful of doing that rather than making a change on a weekly basis.

Prof Sutton said most of the changes brought Victoria into line with most other states.

“I think we’re pretty much there,” he said.

“The application of the density quotient of 1 person per 2sq m, without caps, is reasonably common across the country.”

Mask rules have also been significantly eased and are now only mandatory while on public transport, in rideshare vehicles and some retail areas such as supermarkets and shopping centres.

University of Melbourne public health expert, Associate Professor Nathan Grills, said the new rules encouraged “smart masking” that was more likely to be accepted.

“By making it easy and building trust in the community around sensible smart masking it encourages people to comply when it’s important in higher risk places,” he said.

“In terms of the risk of loosening laws, given there’s no virus in the community I think there’s no risk.”

It comes a week after a group of business leaders across the state urged the state government in the Herald Sun to use common sense and let workers sit at their desks.

They warned staff would be unlikely to return to work an reinvigorate the CBD unless rules were altered.

Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief executive Paul Guerra said the latest changes meant Victoria could now be competitive with other states.

“There’s really no restrictions now that are holding Victoria back,” he said.

“Across the board from hospitality through to the tourism sector, Victorian businesses can now get ready to get going.”

Mr Guerra said the number of businesses that would go under from the economic shock was unclear, with a better picture likely to emerge once JobKeeper support ends in 2021.

Health Minister Greg Hunt said Australians needed to take the situation seriously despite the easing of restrictions, reiterating the danger posed until a vaccine was available.

“This is a highly contagious disease and, obviously, as we now know with well over 1.5 million lives lost, can be an absolutely deadly disease,” he said.

“This is still a dangerous, contagious and deadly disease.

“Your help can help save lives. It can protect your life, but it can protect the life of your mother or father, your grandmother, your grandfather, or any other member of the

OVERSEAS TOURISTS BYPASS QUARANTINE

Two German travellers have tested negative for coronavirus after being caught in Victoria without undergoing international quarantine.

A warning was issued late on Saturday night to anyone who had been at Melbourne Airport’s domestic Terminal 3 on Saturday afternoon to get tested if they had any coronavirus symptoms.

Health Minister Martin Foley said on Sunday the two international travellers, who arrived in Victoria from Sydney Airport, are in mandatory quarantine after the negative tests.

The pair are believed to have arrived in Sydney on Saturday at around midday, before boarding a domestic flight heading to Melbourne Airport without quarantining.

Mr Foley said the travellers exposed 176 passengers on Virgin flight VA838, including 170 passengers, four cabin crew and two pilots.

“Anyone on Virgin VA838 should immediately quarantine at home and contact the Department of Human health and services,” he said.

Mr Foley said all close contacts to the travellers have been contacted.

He urged anyone who was at Melbourne Airport domestic terminal 3 on Saturday to get tested, but assured Victorians it is still safe to visit the airport.

WERE YOU ON VIRGIN FLIGHT VA838? CONTACT [e-mail]

The Virgin Airways flight VA838 departed Sydney at midday on Saturday and landed in Melbourne at 1.25pm.

Victoria’s Department of Health and Human Services also urged anyone who was on a Virgin flight from Sydney to immediately self isolate. Picture: Richard Dobson

“I’ve spoken to (NSW Health) Minister Hazzard to seek an explanation as to how it was that the security arrangements at Sydney Airport saw the two passengers avoid their hotel quarantine obligations in Sydney and travel to Melbourne — he has assured me a full investigation will be completed so it cannot occur again,” Mr Foley said.

The pair are the first travellers put into mandatory quarantine under the state’s revised hotel quarantine system in which police will oversee security at designated hotels.

The COVID-19 breach follows a bungle in October when 55 New Zealanders entered Victoria after travelling through Sydney Airport without being quarantined.

At the time, Premier Daniel Andrews warned that Victoria was at risk of significant harm because the visitors were able to travel in without undergoing quarantine.

“We cannot just have people wandering into the place from another country,” he said in October.

Virgin Australia said it was providing the passenger manifest to health authorities to assist with contact tracing.

“We can confirm two international passengers travelled on VA838 from Sydney to Melbourne on 5 December. Upon being informed these guests had travelled on our aircraft without entering hotel quarantine, we removed the aircraft from service to perform a deep clean, as a precautionary measure,” a Virgin Australia spokesman said.

BORDER FORCE DENIES WRONGDOING

Australian Border Force has denied any wrongdoing in the quarantine debacle.

The federal agency said it was up to NSW Health to explain how the travellers were able to board a flight to Melbourne without undergoing 14 days quarantine in Sydney

“The ABF only has legislative responsibilities for the Customs and Migration Acts to clear people travelling from overseas,” an ABF spokesman said.

“These passengers met all customs and immigration requirements.

“From that point, the responsibility for passengers passes to state and territory authorities for hotel quarantine and onwards domestic travel if relevant.

The spokesman said the ABF would with state and territory authorities.

Health Minister Greg Hunt said the passengers were picked up within the existing “rings of containment” and an investigation would uncover exactly what happened.

“We want to make sure that every ring is impregnable and so we have asked the Border Force Commissioner to work with New South Wales on understanding the circumstances,” Mr Hunt said.

“We think of it as an inner ring of quarantine, which itself has multiple layers. Then we have the contact tracing and testing, then we have social distancing, which is all of our behaviours. Then the last set is lockdowns and other movement restrictions. That’s how we conceive of protecting Australians and there are multiple layers of protection.”

Mr Hunt said there would “always” be a risk with international travellers until there was a vaccine available.

- Tamsin Rose

Victorians are rushing back to the shops after lockdown. Picture: Getty Images

INSTORE SHOPPING MAKES A BIG RETURN

After months of being housebound, Victorians have rushed to the shops, eager to make the most of extended Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Christmas sales.

Australian Retailers Association chief executive Paul Zahra said there was “no question physical retail is back”, as stores across the state reported an increase in foot traffic.

“Lockdowns have accelerated the push towards online and hybrid methods of shopping such as click and collect but this only accounts for just over 10 per cent of sales — meaning 90 per cent of retail sales still occur instore,” Mr Zahra said.

“This is a remarkable result in a pandemic year and testament to the power of stimulus dollars still in the economy like JobKeeper and JobSeeker. It also speaks to the resilience of retailers and the enduring love Aussies have for shopping.”

This year is tipped to be a record-breaking year for retail sales, with the Australian Retailers Association predicting Australians will spend up to $54.3bn in the pre-Christmas period.

“By all reports November broke records — it seems many Australians have been smart about this year’s shopping and have got in early to make sure they are covered for Christmas,” Mr Zahra said.

Australia Post had the largest delivery day in its history on Cyber Monday, delivering more than three million parcels. Australia Post executive general manager of deliveries Rod Barnes said Australians relied on online shopping this year, particularly during sales.