ACT road map outlines route back to familiar territory

ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr has unveiled the territory’s road map out of lockdown.

Chief Minister Andrew Barr.

ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr has unveiled Canberra’s road map out of lockdown, which is set to end on October 15 when he ­expects 80 per cent of residents aged 12 and over to have received both their jabs.

As the ACT recorded 19 new cases on Monday and the first death of the Delta outbreak – a man in his 90s – Mr Barr said restrictions would be eased sightly from Friday and again in two weeks if the public health risk remained “relatively stable”.

“Subject to the public health risk remaining relatively stable over the next two weeks, the lockdown will end at 11:59pm on Thursday the 14th of October,” he said. “This will trigger a transition to medium-level public health measures.”

The changes on October 15 include five people being able to visit one household, while licensed venues, cafes and restaurants will be able to serve a maximum of 25 people on site.

Hairdressers, beauty salons and personal services will also be able to operate with a maximum of five clients.

From October 29, outdoor gatherings will increase to 30 people, while 10 visitors will be permitted per household.

Mr Barr confirmed schools would be able to resume face-to-face learning next term, with year 12 students returning to classrooms on October 5, and year 11 students on October 18.

Preschool, kindergarten and years one, two, six, nine and 10 are set to return on October 25, with the remaining years set to return on November 1.

Under the first tranche of eased restrictions to be rolled out from midnight on Friday two people will be able to visit a household and the time limit for outside exercise and recreation will be doubled from two to four hours.

Mr Barr said ending the lockdown could cause a spike in daily case numbers across the territory, but vaccination should protect against more serious illness or hospitalisation.

“The ACT’S pathway forward has been informed by the modelling on the impact that Covid-19 will have on cases in the territory, and hospitalisations in the territory, and on the impact of exactly the same phenomenon occurring in surrounding NSW,” he said.

Mr Barr said the ACT would take “gradual and safe” steps.