Victoria will re-enter a snap stage four-style lockdown for at least five days beginning 11.59pm tonight following another two COVID-19 cases overnight.
Premier Daniel Andrews announced the “circuit-breaker” lockdown this afternoon as the additional cases brought Melbourne Airport’s Holiday Inn outbreak to 13.
“In the past 24 hours, five new cases have been identified,” Mr Andrews said in a statement today.
“Right now, we are reaching close contacts well within the 48-hour benchmark. But the time between exposure, incubation, symptoms and testing positive is rapidly shortening.
“So much so, that even secondary close contacts are potentially infectious within that 48-hour window.
“In short: this hyper-infectious variant is moving at hyper-speed.
“It’s why, on the advice of our public health experts, the whole of Victoria will move to circuit-breaker action from 11:59pm tonight until 11:59pm next Wednesday, February 17.”
Until then, Victorians will only be allowed to leave home for essential shopping, care and caregiving, exercise and essential work.
They will only be able to have other people in their home for those same reasons. Other visitors are prohibited.
Exercise and shopping will be limited to a five-kilometre radius, or the nearest available shops.
Masks will be mandatory outside home.
Schools, universities and TAFEs will move to remote learning, but schools will remain open for children of essential workers and other children needing onsite supervision.
Childcare and kinders will remain open. Gyms, hairdressers, pools, community centres, entertainment venues and libraries will close.
All “non-essential retail” will close, but supermarkets, bottle shops and pharmacies will remain open.
Cafes and restaurants can only offer take-away.
Hotel and accommodation providers will be able to stay open for guests already onsite, but no new bookings can be made.
Funerals will be limited to ten people, but weddings are prohibited during the five-day period, except for in life-ending or other exceptional circumstances.
All community sport is cancelled during the five-day period. The Australian Open will continue without spectators.
More details: www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/coronavirus
