Rolling coverage: Flights resume, masks no longer required outdoors

Lovebirds and families have embraced after four long months apart, with flights resuming as NSW reopened its border to Victorians.

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After four months of border closures, regular flights between Melbourne and Sydney have finally resumed.

The first plane, QF404, took off from Melbourne at 6am today and marked the first time Victorians are able to travel anywhere interstate without quarantine since July.

There were emotional scenes in both states as flights touched down and families reunited after months apart.

Among them Sydney grandad Alan Kinkade that was greeted with a massive bear hug by his grandchildren Tom and James and their mum Alison after six months of separation.

Couple Jess Dean and Will Miller were reunited after more than five months apart. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

Jess Dean and Will Miller were reunited in Melbourne on Monday. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

Qantas and Jetstar will operate a combined 17 return flights between the states today carrying around 4500 people.

During lockdown, flights on the route considered the busiest in the country dropped to as low as one flight per day.

“After a very tough year for a lot of people, this is a big milestone in Australia opening back up. It’s going to be a really emotional day for a lot of our passengers. We’re going to see the kind of reunions normally reserved for long haul international flights rather than two cities that are only an hour apart,” Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce said.

“It’s a great day for a lot of our people, who have been stood down for months. They have been so professional through all this and we’re thrilled to see more of them coming back to work.”

Mr Joyce added he expected domestic travel will pick up fast.

Melbourne Airport is busy once again. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Ian Currie

MASK RULES FINALLY LIFT

Victorians can finally flash a smile to each other today in celebration of the fact they no longer have to wear masks outdoors.

It comes as the state recorded its 24th day without a new coronavirus case or death.

After 124 days of mandatory masks in Melbourne, and 113 days in regional areas, Victorians can go into uncrowded outdoor areas without needing to cover their faces to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

While fitted masks continue to be compulsory for indoor settings outside the home, Premier Daniel Andrews on Sunday confirmed the long-awaited outdoor easing of masks for summer.

Victorians must still carry a mask, which must be put on when encountering a crowd or being unable to maintain a distance outdoors.

But, rather than applying hard and fast limits, Mr Andrews said “commonsense” would dictate when people had to put masks on outdoors.

FAQ: THE RESTRICTIONS THAT EASED OVERNIGHT

Daniel Andrews on Sunday confirmed the long-awaited outdoor easing of masks for summer. Picture: Daniel Pockett

Using the example of a visit to Bunnings, he said it was compulsory to wear a mask in the shop but not while walking through the carpark. But if you joined the outdoor sausage sizzle queue, you would have to wear a mask if near others.

“Masks have played a very important part in delivering these low numbers and containing the spread of this virus,” Mr Andrews said.

“You need to carry the mask with you because you will need to wear the mask outside if you can’t distance.

“Commonsense drives this. When you are outside in the open air and you believe you can keep your distance from people, then you don’t need to wear it.”

Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton on Sunday indicated an easing of indoor mask restrictions was likely, but he could not say when.

Victorians are now allowed to take their masks off outdoors — if social distancing can be maintained. Picture: Rob Leeson

But after Victoria recorded its 23rd consecutive day of zero COVID-19 cases on Sunday, Prof Sutton said there would be further evaluation if the state made the crucial 28-day mark, which allows for two full incubation cycles of the virus.

“You don’t want to be in a situation where you suddenly find that hundreds of people have been exposed and the people were not wearing masks in an indoor setting,” he said. “It is an insurance policy that is most useful when it is in place before the fact.”

Highlighting areas such as North and South Dakota in the US — which have opposed mask wearing and now have the world’s highest rates of transmission — Prof Sutton said compulsory masks had been vital in controlling Victoria’s second wave.

“Through our whole epidemic, the introduction of masks probably decreased transmission by about one quarter,” Prof Sutton said. “It has played a significant role.”

One active case remained on Monday, with 7261 test results received on Sunday — a significant dip in tests.

Jessica Robinson and Shaun Duncan from central coast NSW have been stuck in Victoria since July. Picture: Simon Dallinger

SA BORDER CROSSERS NEED PERMIT

People moving between Victoria and South Australia are now required to travel with a permit after new rules came into effect on Sunday.

Daniel Andrews said the measure was put in place with an “abundance of caution” following an outbreak in Adelaide sparked a short, crushing lockdown in the city.

Victorian Police will be monitoring and enforcing the permit system through spot checks, as well as meeting flights at airports to check passengers.

Chief Health Office Brett Sutton said specific groups would be exempt from the measure.

“Those receiving or providing emergency medical care, providing or receiving emergency services or residing on a property that extends across both South Australia and Victoria will be exempt from the requirement for a permit,” Prof Sutton said.

Les and Dale Harrington have been waiting to get into NSW to visit their daughter and grandchildren since March. Picture: Simon Dallinger

Residents within the pre-existing 70km cross-border bubble between the states will also not be required to obtain a new permit.

Prof Sutton warned anyone who had visited a high risk exposure site in SA would not be given the green light but could still apply for exemptions.

Meanwhile, residents living along the Murray River were last night preparing to pop bottles at midnight when the hard border between NSW and Victoria reopened.

Wodonga-based Liberal Democrats MP Tim Quilty planned to drive across the river at 12.01am and invited others to join him in celebration.

What started off as a joke has gained momentum as Mr Quilty said the moment needed to be celebrated with a “significant act” to mark the end of the disruptive border closure.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian visited Albury on Sunday, saying she was more confident than ever about her decision to open the border.

“Both in NSW and Victoria we’ve had a number of days without community transmission,” she said.

Victorians are still unable to travel to Queensland and Western Australia without quarantining for two weeks.

When asked about Queensland’s unflinching border measures for Victorians, Ms Berejiklian said: “I just don’t even understand how they make their decisions up there. It’s beyond my level of understanding.”

Fotini Veis and Dom Gauci get back to exercising at Foxfit Gym in Cremorne as gym restrictions ease. Picture: Ian Currie

WEIGHT OVER FOR GYMS

Gym owners are jumping for joy after a big increase in the number of patrons allowed at centres.

Foxfit owner Tom Hose said the increase was a game changer, as clients had been competing for limited spots since he reopened his Cremorne facility.

Gyms can have 150 patrons with a group limit of 20.

“We have a backlog with the waitlist so having 20 in group fitness classes is great,” Mr Hose said.

“We’ve been sold out for weeks in advance, and for the industry as a whole this is fantastic news.”

Mr Hose said lockdown had been difficult to navigate but he felt optimistic about the future of fitness.

“I’m very supportive of the government’s decision and I couldn’t be more excited about the direction fitness is going in,” he said. “Being back at the gym is almost like being back at home.”