South Australia relaxes virus restrictions and border rules with Victoria

Tougher Covid-19 rules brought into place in South Australia in response to surging cases interstate have been relaxed.

South Australia has relaxed Covid-19 restrictions that were slapped on in the wake of surging local cases interstate.

Premier Steven Marshall announced the restrictions would be eased immediately at a press conference on Monday morning.

He also revealed the requirement for people travelling from Victoria to get tested and isolate until negative on arrival would be lifted.

The new rules are:

• Hospitality and other businesses will revert to density limits three people per 4sq m;
• The cap on people at private gatherings, including weddings and funerals, will return to 200 people;
• Dancing and singing will be again allowed at indoor seated entertainment facilities, such as choirs and karaoke bars;
• Hospitality businesses, bars and clubs will also be allowed to return to standing alcohol consumption.

Mr Marshall said the strong advice to wear masks on public transport and indoor spaces would also be lifted.

The restrictions were put in place last Monday despite South Australia having no active local virus cases at the time due to escalating numbers of the Delta variant in Sydney and across the country.

The strong advice for South Australians to wear masks indoors has been lifted. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Roy VanDerVegt

“They were necessary restrictions because we did have very low level restrictions in South Australia,” Mr Marshall said.

“We weren’t wanting to take any chances with the escalating numbers right across the country.”

Mr Marshall said health authorities would meet again on Thursday this week to discuss easing border restrictions with Western Australia, the Northern Territory and Queensland.

“The numbers in NSW are still fairly worryingly high so certainly no changes in NSW this week.”

South Australia recorded five locally acquired Covid-19 cases last week – their first local infections in 211 days – after a miner returned from the Northern Territory and infected his wife and four children, including a young baby.

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