Regional Victoria anticipates third step in easing of coronavirus restrictions

Regional Victoria is eagerly anticipating Premier Daniel Andrews will announce an easing of restrictions today, but just one case may prevent reaching the threshold as expected.

corona map sept 16 online

• Regional Victorians will soon regain some freedom, with coronavirus restrictions now easing from 11.59pm, Wednesday, September 16.

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REGIONAL Victoria was expecting Premier Daniel Andrews to announce a move to the third step on the road map out of the coronavirus lockdown today.

However, just one case may prevent the move.

It comes as the Department of Health and Human Services latest data reveals 38 regional local government areas are already meeting the threshold for the final step on the regional road map, which requires no new cases for 14 days across all regions.

As for the third step, regional Victoria must have a daily average of less than five new cases over 14 days — currently a daily average of 3.6 — and 0 cases with an unknown source (“mystery” cases) for 14 days across all regions.

Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said yesterday there were three mystery cases that would drop out of the 14-day time frame today.

Premier Andrews said he hoped to have “very good news for regional Victoria tomorrow (today)”.

“We will be here tomorrow (today) and hopefully there will be no mystery cases in the data I report tomorrow (today) and hopefully we can have more to say,” Mr Andrews said.

“No doubt there will be criticism that we haven’t given any notice but this is nature of these things because you have to hit the target before you can make the decision, there won’t be a lot of notice.”

However, in early data released by the DHHS on Twitter this morning, regional Victoria is reported to have one case with an unknown source (“mystery” case).

Mr Andrews traditionally fronts the media at 11am.

The third step on the regional road map sees no restrictions on reasons to leave home, allows public gatherings of up to 10 people outdoors and a “household bubble” with one nominated household allowing up to five visitors from that household at a time in your home.

Cafes and restaurants move from takeaway and delivery only to predominantly outdoor seated service with a group limit of 10 and density limits.

Property inspections and auctions move from online to private inspections by appointment only and outdoor auctions subject to gathering limits.

Outdoor contact and non-contact sport can resume for under 18s and outdoor non-contact sport only for adults.

Weddings are allowed with up to 10 people, funerals up to 20 people and outdoor religious gatherings for up to 10 people.

Regional Victorians would also be allowed to travel across regional Victoria with accommodation also open.

The Opposition has been critical of the current road map, which prevents regional Victoria taking the “last step” in the easing of restrictions – significantly increasing the caps on people allowed in venues and in homes – until every local government area has gone for 14 days without a new coronavirus case statewide.

“Why has regional Victoria been lumped in with Melbourne?” Opposition treasury and economic development spokeswoman Louise Staley said, who has been analysing how long each local government area had gone without a new case.

She said there was no reason why regional clusters of councils could not be put together now, allowing them to move straight to the last step of restrictions.

“We already have regions at the last step,” Ms Staley said.

When questioned why restrictions couldn’t be eased in some areas of regional Victoria that were coronavirus free last week, Mr Andrews said the “notion of regional Victoria moving together as one is what we want”.

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