Stage four restrictions for Melbourne closer after Andrews hint
While Melburnians scramble to find and make masks following yesterday’s announcement, Daniel Andrews gave perhaps the strongest hint yet we could be headed for stage four restrictions.
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Exercising in only your postcode and being restricted to certain shops and supermarkets await if Victoria can’t control its number of COVID-19 cases.
After what felt like weeks of speculation about stage four restrictions coming into play, Daniel Andrews gave the strongest hint yet about what that will look like for Victoria.
The hint was masked by new regulations about the wearing of masks, but it was perhaps the first step towards harsher measures should the number of positive cases not slow over the coming days.
“Can I just indicate that if we can see high degrees of compliance – if we see people wearing masks, so all of us when we’re out and about for the four lawful reasons wearing masks – that will mean it’s less likely we have to move to things like only doing that daily exercise, for instance, in your own local postcode,” Mr Andrews said.
“Or things like saying you can only go shopping within a certain radius or certain distance from your home.
The past four days have seen Victoria record its three highest numbers of daily COVID cases – 317 on Thursday, 428 on Friday and 363 on Sunday.
Saturday’s number of 217, which was described as a “relief” by Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton, now seems like an exception, not the rule.
“We don’t want to get to those steps. If we have to we will,” Mr Andrews said.
“The next step in our fight against this virus is for everybody to be wearing masks when they’re out for the four permitted reasons.”
From 11.59pm on Wednesday night people living in metropolitan Melbourne and the Mitchell Shire will be required to wear face masks, or face coverings, if they leave home for one of the four permitted reasons.
- When leaving home for one of the four reasons, people 12 years and older must wear a face covering, unless an exemption applies.
- If you are in the car alone or with someone from your household, you do not need to wear a face covering. You should put your face covering on before you leave your car. If you are driving your car for work, such as deliveries, or with people from outside your household then you are required to wear a face covering.
- If you are doing strenuous physical exercise you do not need to wear a face covering but you must carry one with you. Strenuous exercise includes activities like jogging, running or cycling but not walking.
- People who live in metropolitan Melbourne and Mitchell Shire must not attend a wedding outside these areas, unless they are working as the celebrant. The celebrant must wear a mask.
- People who live in metropolitan Melbourne and Mitchell Shire cannot hold a wedding outside these areas, even if a booking has already been made.
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