Coronavirus: What you can and can’t do this weekend
Our lives have changed dramatically following tough new restrictions on where we are allowed to go, so what can we still do?
We live in a very different Australia compared to just a few months ago.
Gone are the days where you could walk down the road and sit at your favourite coffee shop, have dinner outdoors with your family, spend time at the beach or park with a group of friends or dance the night away at your regular club.
The way we socialise has changed in ways we could not have imagined even a few weeks ago as the Federal Government imposes new measures to stop the spread of coronavirus.
But what exactly is off limits and what can we still do?
RELATED: Coronavirus Australia live updates
BEACHES
New South Wales
Despite blue skies and warm weather, Sydney-siders have been banned from beaches in the city’s Eastern Suburbs, which were closed after thousands of people packed Bondi Beach a week ago.
Waverley Council has shut all three of its beaches — Bondi, Bronte and Tamarama — following NSW Police Minister David Elliot’s announcement that beaches across the state can only have a maximum of 500 people on the beach at any one time, in line with the Federal Government’s limit on outdoor gatherings.
Nearby Randwick Council followed suit, closing Maroubra, Coogee and Clovelly beaches.
Expect more beaches to close and police to patrol areas as they have done today at Palm Beach, the ritzy end of Sydney’s northern beaches.
“If you spend a day at the beach like you otherwise would have you will be helping spread the virus,” Prime Minister Scott Morrison warned Australians last week, adding people should avoid going about their “usual Saturday”.
RELATED: Coronavirus Australia live updates
RELATED: List of Sydney beaches closed
NSW Police Minister David Elliott said Bondi Beach would be patrolled to ensure there are no more than 500 people on the sand at a time.
“In consultation with the police and Surf Life Saving NSW, we will now see beaches across the state that do not comply with the regulations close,” Mr Elliot said last Saturday.
Surf Life Saving NSW has also cancelled all beach patrols due to the “current COVID-19 emergency”.
It means patrols on beaches up and down the state’s coast will end four weeks ahead of the end of the season, leaving beaches unmanned by volunteers over the Easter school holidays.
Queensland
In Queensland, red and yellow flags will no longer be placed on the beach to mark designated swimming areas but beach surveillance will continue with local clubs strongly encouraged to field no more than the minimum number of members required.
Councils across Queensland have also closed pools and lagoons due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Councils across #Queensland have closed pools and lagoons due to #covid19australia. For updates, visit: https://t.co/ThofZJ23Xj pic.twitter.com/DLZGVEdYyx
— Surf Life Saving Queensland (SLSQ) (@lifesavingqld) March 26, 2020
Victoria
St Kilda and other popular Melbourne beaches will also close after hoards of sunbathers flocked to the sand despite nationwide strict social distancing measures that means staying at least 1.5 metres apart.
Port Phillip City Council clamped down on large groups accessing all of its beaches including the popular St Kilda Beach effective from yesterday.
Dog walkers and joggers, will still be able to use beaches as normal, however strict social distancing rules are in place.
SWIMMING CENTRES/ POOLS
Swimming centres and local pools across the country have now closed.
It came into effect at midnight on March 25 following the Government’s ban on non-essential services having to shut their doors.
Not quite Bondi but..... Social gathering at St Kilda Beach today. Photo by Leigh Henningham visit website at https://t.co/MmhsynXkyV #melbourne #instagram #igers #dailylife #australia #instadaily #covid_19 #covid #covıd19 #stkilda #stkildabeach #news … https://t.co/h10yKbjff2 pic.twitter.com/MC7mArv1Uz
— leigh henningham (@leighhenningham) March 27, 2020
SUPERMARKETS
Yes, you can still go to your local supermarket but customers must practise social distancing.
Woolworths encourages shoppers to use the size of a trolley as a distance guide between each other, follow the floor marking distance guides at check-outs, use tap and pay wherever possible and sanitise or wash your hands before you come into a store.
They have also limited toilet paper, baby wipes, antibacterial wipes, paper towel and rice to one pack per person.
Coles also has the same social distancing measures in place and recently announced that shoppers will have to load groceries at the end of the checkout and wait for the customer in front to finish their transaction before moving on.
The change has already come into effect to reduce cross contamination.
“Checkout staff will no longer be packing bags for customers,” it said in a statement, adding customers should pay with cards rather than cash wherever possible.
RELATED: Woolies supermarket rules
RELATED: Coles’ new rules means shoppers will pack own bags
SHOPPING CENTRES
The Prime Minister made it clear Australians should not be leaving their houses unless absolutely necessary.
Despite many retailers announcing they are closing their physical stores, shopping centres remain open.
However, shopping centre food courts are restricted to take away only.
Retail stores will continue operating, however, each store will be required to put a notice in their front window advising how many people are allowed inside at any given time.
“In each of the retail premises, there will need to be displayed to assist patrons how many people can be in that shop at any one time, observing the four square metre rule. I hope premises are already doing that,” Mr Morrison said.
As a result of strict social distancing measures many businesses have been forced to close including retail giant Myer, Kathmandu, Rip Curl, while Gloria Jean’s Coffee, Brumby’s Bakeries, Donut King, and Michel’s Patisserie said it will stand down or cut the hours of its workforce.
Essential services, such as pharmacies, petrol stations, grocery stores, health clinics and petrol stations remain open.
HAIRDRESSERS
Beauty therapy, tanning, waxing, nail salons, spas, massage and tattoo parlours are no longer in operation, however you can still go to a hairdressing salon.
The government had issued a 30-minute time limit, but it backflipped on the decision.
While they can still remain open, hairdressers and barbers must still observe the “four square metre per person” rule for indoor gatherings.
GYMS
All gyms and indoor sporting venues including yoga studios can no longer operate. They have been closed to the public since March 23.
If you were hoping to still exercise with your personal trainer this weekend, you can, but there are rules.
As of midnight on March 25, all personal training and bootcamp sessions outdoors will be limited to 10 people per group.
The tighter limits comes after initial confusion over what was covered by the ban on gyms.
Mr Morrison said yoga and barre studios, spin facilities, saunas and wellness centres were all covered by new closure orders.
“Boot camps and personal training is limited to a maximum of 10 people,” he said at a press conference last week announcing the changes.
“And the social distancing arrangements must be strictly enforced.” This means at least 1.5m between each person.
He said the aim was to limit the gathering of people in large numbers that could lead to the transmission of the virus, such as social sporting activities at community ovals.
WEDDINGS/ FUNERALS
Getting married? If you were planning on tying the knot this weekend, you still can but from now on, it will be capped at couples, the celebrant and witnesses (no more than five people).
Meanwhile, funerals have also been restricted to no more than 10 people.
TRAVEL
All travellers returning to Australia from 11.59pm tonight will be isolated in hotels for 14 days rather than at home and some States have introduced 14 day self-isolation rules and bans on all non-essential visits.
WHERE ELSE CAN’T YOU GO:
• Pubs, nightclubs, churches
• Amusement parks and arcades
• Concert venues, theatre, arenas, auditoriums, stadiums
• Play centres, both indoor and outdoor
• Community and recreation centres
• Galleries, museums, libraries, national institutions and historic sites
• Community clubs, halls and RSLs
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