Victoria’s coronavirus restrictions: What are the new rules?

Melbourne will remain in lockdown for a further seven days, with only small changes to current restrictions, in response to the latest outbreak and fears over transmission via “fleeting contact”.

Health authorities said it is possible changes will be made to restrictions in regional Victoria if there are no cases or spread of exposure sites over the next 24 hours.

This is a rolling story that will be updated as we get new information so please come back to check on the latest rules.

Acting Victorian Premier James Merlino has announced changes to Victoria’s restrictions.Credit: Simon Schluter

Acting Premier James Merlino said the rules will apply to people who have been vaccinated.

Education and childcare

Students in years 11 and 12, and students who are undertaking a unit 3/4 VCE or VCAL subject, will return to Melbourne classrooms on Friday.

All schools will reopen in regional areas under the proposed easing of restrictions from Friday.

Masks

Mask-wearing will remain mandatory indoors and out in Melbourne. In regional areas indoor masks remain, but masks will only be necessary outside when physical distancing isn’t possible.

Travel limits

The five-kilometre limit for exercise and shopping for supplies in Melbourne will be increased to 10 kilometres, but there are still only five reasons for leaving home, including shopping for food and necessary supplies, exercise (limited to two hours), authorised work or education if it can’t be done from home, care-giving, or to get vaccinated.

Regional Victorians, from Friday, may be allowed to leave home for any reason, and travel any distance. People can travel to Melbourne if absolutely necessary, but must follow Melbourne’s restrictions if they do.

Mr Merlino did warn that even if restrictions eased in a week, there would continue to be different settings between Melbourne and regional Victoria, and Melburnians would not be able to travel on the Queen’s Birthday long weekend.

Retail

Essential retail is open in Metropolitan Melbourne, but QR codes will be mandatory in all shops to record attendance.

Auctions are still to be held online.

In regional areas all shops could open with density quotients of one person per four square metres and mandatory QR codes. Auction houses will be open for up to 50 people with density quotients.

Weddings and funerals

There is no change to the ban on weddings in Melbourne, except in the case of compassionate reasons, such as end-of-life or deportation, but proposed changes in the rest of the state include weddings with up to 10 people, including the couple, celebrant and witnesses. Funerals in regional areas could expand to 50 people, but the 10-person limit remains in Melbourne.

Work

A number of outdoor jobs will be added to the authorised worker list in Melbourne, with things like landscaping painting, installing solar panels and letterboxing to be allowed, but with restrictions, including mask-wearing.

Everyone in the state who can work from home should continue to do so, but regional offices can return to 50 per cent capacity or 20 people, whichever is greater.

Hospitality

Restaurants and eateries are open for take-away only in Melbourne, while seated venues in regional areas will be able to open for up to 50 people per venue, with maximum group sizes of 10 people.

Aged care and health

Restrictions will stay the same for both Melbourne and regional areas, with visitors permitted into aged care or hospitals only for end-of-life situations, as a support partner for a birth or while accompanying a child attending as a patient.

Private gatherings in the home

There are no changes for any part of the state to restrictions on gatherings in the home. Home visits are banned unless it’s between people in a bubble of two single people or for intimate partner visits. Outdoor public gatherings will be allowed in regional areas, for up to 10 people, but will remain banned in Melbourne.

Gyms and sports venues

Indoor physical recreation and sports remain banned in all parts of the state, but outdoor venues will reopen in regional areas with patron caps of 50 people, density quotients and group size limits of 10 people.

Community sport will be allowed in the regions for children only, adults will be able to train but not play matches.

Hairdressing and beauty services

Services for which masks can remain on, such as a haircut or eyebrow wax, for example, can be carried out in regional areas with density quotients of one person per 4sq metres. Beauty services will remain closed in Melbourne.

Religious ceremonies

No in-person gatherings are allowed in Melbourne, but broadcasts are permitted. In the rest of Victoria services will return from Friday, with a cap of 50 people and density quotients.

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