Lockdown will ease in regional Victoria at midnight following an announcement from Premier Daniel Andrews this morning.
The changes come after regional Victoria recorded no new COVID-19 cases from the latest outbreak or over the past three weeks, according to state government.
Health officials have also cleared thousands of primary close contacts in regional Victoria over the past few weeks.
Beginning 11.59pm tonight, regional Victorians can leave home for any reason with no limits on how far they can travel in regional Victoria.
With Melbourne remaining in lockdown, regional Victorians can only travel there for a permitted reason and must follow metro restrictions once there.
Private gatherings in the home remain prohibited, with outdoor gatherings of up to 10 people to be allowed.
Face masks will still be mandatory indoors and outdoors.
Food and hospitality will open for seated service only, with a density requirement of one person per four square metres and a maximum of 100 people per venue.
Venues smaller than 100 square metres can have up to 25 people before density requirements apply.
Retail can also open and personal services such as beauty and tattooing can resume. Face masks can be removed where required for the service to be performed.
Religious gatherings and ceremonies are allowed, with density requirements of one person per four square metres and no more than 100 people total indoors and 300 people outdoors per venue.
Weddings and funerals can have up to 50 people at a venue. This limit does not include infants under 12 months of age, or people required to conduct the service.
Community sport will reopen for all ages with only the minimum participants needed, such as players, coaches, referees, officials and carers or parents, permitted to attend.
Spectators remain prohibited with a density quotient of one person per four square metres.
Entertainment venues can have up to 300 people per outdoor space with the same density limit, and a cap of 100 people per space indoors.
All entertainment facilities must have a marshal to monitor patrons checking-in with the Service Victoria app.
Melburnians are still banned from travelling to regional Victoria without a permitted reason.
Businesses open in regional Victoria but closed in Melbourne must check the IDs of everyone they serve.
“We’ve always said the moment it’s safe to lift restrictions we will,” Mr Andrews said this morning.
“While we continue to get on top of this outbreak in Melbourne, minimal primary close contacts and no new cases means we can ease setting in regional Victoria.”
“This outbreak is an important reminder that until more Australians are vaccinated, we cannot afford complacency to creep in – we must stay safe to stay open.”
