New Melbourne Covid restrictions revealed, mask rules remain
Coronavirus restrictions will be eased on Friday and health authorities have set a target of when they hope to relax settings further.
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Melbourne bars and restaurants — as well as weddings and funerals – will be able to host up to 300 people inside in a major easing of city restrictions, but masks will still be required indoors.
Meanwhile, Victoria has gone two consecutive days without a new case of local infection, with a strong turnout of 28,267 tests on Tuesday. There are currently 50 active cases, including a new case in hotel quarantine.
The latest restriction changes will remain for the next fortnight and come into effect from 11.59pm Thursday.
Chief health officer Brett Sutton defended the move to keep the indoor mask mandate, saying face coverings act as “insurance”.
“In some of these indoor events, where people can sit for hours next to each other, and also we’ve seen in Victoria’s outbreak and we’re seeing it now in NSW, that retail settings allow transmission to occur,” he said.
“Other indoor settings are risky areas. We do need to bear in mind that that’s a level of insurance, a level of protection that allows us to go to the very settings we’re trying to get to.”
Under the latest restriction changes, up to 50 people will be able to get together outside and the limit on home gatherings has been increased to 15 statewide.
Melbourne community sport venues will be allowed to host 300 players and spectators indoors, and 1000 outdoors.
The work-from-home recommendation has been scrapped, and the capacity for offices will be lifted to 75 per cent or 30 people, whichever is greater.
Funerals will be capped at 300 mourners subject to density limits, the same number as for weddings.
The cap for hospitality venues is increasing significantly to up to 300 people, but the maximum one person per 4sq m density quotient will continue.
Density limits in regional Victoria have been loosened, with venues able to operate at one person per 2sq m, provided a Covid marshall is present to check people in.
And those heading to the snow will no longer be required to prove they have had a negative Covid-19 test less than 72 hours prior to departing, with the mandate changed to a recommendation.
“Getting tested before you visit will now move to a recommendation for people from metropolitan Melbourne, particularly if you’re staying overnight,” acting Premier James Merlino said.
Dance floors remain closed but other entertainment venues have been boosted, with theatres to open at 50 per cent capacity, with up to 1000 people.
Public events and outdoor stadiums will also welcome up to 50 per cent capacity, or up to 25,000 people.
But capacity limits will be scrapped from 11.59pm, July 1, with theatres able to operate at 100 per cent capacity subject to Victoria’s case numbers.
Indoor and outdoor stadiums will increase to 85 per cent capacity from that date.
Health authorities say they are hopeful the state will return to pre-outbreak settings by July 8.
“This will take us back to the settings that we had before this outbreak started and I know people will be keen to get back to the footy, to watch the NBL and A-League finals or go to Harry Potter or Frozen or any of other great events that will be happening right across the state,” Mr Merlino said.
“We put these settings in place for a fortnight so that Victorians can plan ahead for the school holidays and we hope that this helps but, as always, we’ll keep assessing the data each and every day and watching closely what’s happening in New South Wales.
“If we think that we can ease any of these settings any earlier, of course, as we always do, we will look at that.”
Authorities refused to rule out any future lockdowns but acknowledged that Victorians were “appropriately” angrier and more frustrated with lockdown this time round.
“I’ve always said we have to have available to us all of the tools that are required to get ahead of this virus,” Prof Sutton said.
“I hope that we’re in a situation where we have such high vaccination coverage that we never have to consider a lockdown.
“But if that is what’s required based on what we’re confronted with, I wouldn’t want to set it aside … as a tool.”
BORDER SLAMMED SHUT ON SYDNEY
Melbourne travel plans were on Wednesday morning thrown into chaos after restrictions came to force for inbound arrivals from NSW virus hot spots.
NSW announced 16 new cases of Covid-19 on Wednesday, with several linked to a superspreader birthday party in Sydney’s eastern suburbs.
Sydney and a number of surrounding suburbs were declared “red zones” by Victoria’s Health Department late on Tuesday night.
Officials gave travellers less than four hours’ notice, announcing seven Local Government Areas would be classified as red at 1am on June 23.
Any Victorian resident who travels to Victoria from these zones will now face 14 days of home quarantine and will need a permit to enter the state.
The affected zones are the City of Sydney, Waverley, Woollahra, Bayside, Canada Bay, Inner West and Randwick.
Wollongong has also been declared an orange zone, meaning travellers must get a permit to enter Victoria, get tested on their return and isolate until they receive a negative result.
“If you are a non-Victorian resident and you have been in a red zone (other than for transit), you cannot obtain a permit and you cannot enter Victoria,” the health department said.
“The CHO strongly discourages non-essential travel into Victoria from red or orange zones.”
Several flights from Sydney are scheduled to land at Melbourne Airport on Tuesday morning.
The first flight was due to touch down at 7.40am, but later flights from Jetstar, Virgin Airways, Qantas, British Airways and Emirates were cancelled.
The majority of inbound and outbound Jetstar flights to Melbourne were cancelled following the late-night declaration.
Numerous outbound flights to major destinations including Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth were also scrapped, following the updated border measures.
Under the “red zone” rules, travellers who only entered the affected areas to go to the airport are exempt from the 14 day home quarantine rule.
NSW TRAVELLERS FORCED INTO AIRPORT DASH
Scott Rudys, who was on one of the few available flights into Melbourne this morning, is ready for a good rest after spending a sleepless night at Sydney Airport on Tuesday.
The construction worker was supposed to stay in Sydney for the next week for work — but was forced to make a frantic dash for the airport last night after hearing about the updated travel restrictions.
“I was in a red zone, I got a phone call from my missus at 10pm telling me I have to go straight to the airport,” he said.
He was told he would be forced into hotel quarantine if he remained in a red zone after 1am Wednesday morning.
“So, I tried to sleep outside the airport, I just can’t afford to have two weeks in quarantine,” he said.
Other travellers were not as lucky, including several who remained at one arrival gate after they were told they would have to enter hotel quarantine.
They were greeted by several health officials in full PPE gear who delivered the sobering news that they would have to enter hotel quarantine.
“I had no idea Surrey Hills had gone into a red zone,” said one returning traveller to a Health Official at an arrival gate for one Sydney flight.
“It is fine, you are doing a good job, but I just don’t know how I’m going to be able to afford hotel quarantine.”
She continued, “What about my car? My car is parked here [at the airport].
Some travellers said they were unaware there were any travel restrictions in place for people travelling to Melbourne from Sydney.
“I didn’t even know we needed a permit,” said Ahmad Ebady, a Sydney resident who has travelled to Melbourne for work.
“I was surprised when I got here and there were all these people wearing face masks, I thought we were going to have to fly back home.”
Kim Hendry, who is relocating to Melbourne for work said the “mixed messaging” at Sydney airport caused her plenty of anxiety this morning.
“I didn’t really know what to do, they were very inconsistent with their messaging in Sydney with who could come and who couldn’t come,” she said.
“I feel really relieved, but I do feel a little bit deflated, the announcement was so late to change anything.”
While last night’s red zone declaration has also thrown travel plans into chaos for some Sydney bound travellers, others remain undeterred despite the restrictions.
“We are taking a punt,” said Colin, whose family’s flight to Sydney was rescheduled to earlier this morning after their later one was cancelled last minute.
“We are hoping we will go on a good week’s holiday, but who knows.”
INCENTIVES FOR VACCINE OUR SHOT AT REVIVAL
Industry leaders have backed a bid to allow fully vaccinated Victorians to be exempt from some or all restrictions in the hope it will revive sectors devastated by blanket rules.
Representatives from major tourism bodies are calling for an “incentivised” jab rollout that would offer extra freedoms to fully vaccinated Victorians.
Victoria Tourism Industry Council chief Felicia Mariani said Australia needed to look at incentives being offered to inoculated citizens overseas, with the promise of extended liberties to boost the nation’s “appalling” vaccination rate.
A major poll – commissioned by the Herald Sun – revealed on Tuesday 70 per cent of Victorians support a significant rethink on restrictions, including giving vaccinated Victorians greater freedoms in future outbreaks.
Even more – 75 per cent – back an end to lockdowns and border closures once everyone has had the chance to be vaccinated, regardless of how many actually do.
“You only have to look around the world to see how this stuff is working,” Ms Mariani said. “The reality is they, incentives for additional liberties, have worked overseas.
“We need to see something that is going to protect our businesses and keep the businesses open.”
Fully vaccinated Canadians can return from external travel without having to quarantine; vaccinated Hungarians can visit public indoor spaces such as restaurants and theatres.
Vaccinated Americans can visit each other at home; Israel’s Green Pass grants access to public indoor spaces such as restaurants, theatres and gyms.
Asked whether his government would support exempting vaccinated Victorians from future lockdowns, Acting Premier James Merlino said: “The only race in town is getting people vaccinated.”
Opposition Leader Michael O’Brien said such a prospect could act as a “huge incentive” in pushing vaccine-hesitant people to receive the jab.
VICTORIA’S LATEST Covid FIGURES
Victoria has the lowest proportion of people aged over 50 who have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19.
The new figures come as the state and federal governments continue a war of words over vaccine supplies.
The Herald Sun understands Health Minister Greg Hunt is increasingly confident Novavax will supply doses before the end of the year after talks with officials this week.
Just 5.13 per cent of Victorians aged over 50 have been fully vaccinated, compared with a high of 12.33 per cent in the Northern Territory.
NSW has given 172,885 second doses to 2.8 million eligible people – 6.17 per cent – while Victoria has fully vaccinated 113,528 out of 2.2 million.
Chief health officer Brett Sutton on Tuesday said there were tens of thousands of Pfizer vaccine recipients in the state who were due for their second dose but had yet to book.
“Last week we had 50,000 people hit the three-week mark for their second dose, and 30,000 people booked,” Mr Sutton said.
The state has blasted the federal government over vaccine supply, claiming it didn’t have enough to meet demand.
But Health Department secretary Brendan Murphy on Monday night told an inquiry Victoria had 180,000 Pfizer doses on hand.
The state will receive more than 83,000 Pfizer doses a week during July, with a further 200,000 to be delivered throughout the month to GPs.
RESTRICTIONS SET TO EASE ACROSS MELBOURNE
Melbourne bars and restaurants – as well as weddings and funerals – will be able to host up to 300 people inside in a major easing of city restrictions to be announced on Wednesday, but masks will still be required indoors.
For more details on what restrictions are easing, click here.
FOOTY FANS TO RETURN TO MELBOURNE GAMES
Crowds of 25,000 will be allowed at the MCG and Marvel Stadium this weekend, as the government baulked at the AFL’s request for 50 per cent capacity for Round 15.
Health officials will on Wednesday reveal their magic formula for the return of sporting crowds after Melbourne’s fourth lockdown, with outdoor stadiums set to be limited to 50 per cent of their capacity, with a cap set at 25,000.
It means the MCG, which can host 100,000 patrons, will be 25 per cent full, while Marvel Stadium, which has room for about 57,000 fans, will be at about 43 per cent capacity.
Read the full story here.
— With Olivia Jenkins, Jade Gailberger
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