What are the new coronavirus restrictions for Victoria

By Mathew DunckleyUpdated August 5, 2021 â€" 9.28pmfirst published at 4.20pm

The Victorian government on Thursday announced new coronavirus restrictions to apply for seven days from 8pm.

In this article you will find a run through of the new rules for the state. It will be updated as new information becomes available so please check back for the latest information.

Leaving home and 5km bubble

There are only five reasons to leave home during the current lockdown. You are allowed to leave your home to get food and supplies, to exercise for up to two hours, for care or caregiving, or work or education if you can’t do it from home. You are also allowed to leave your home to get vaccinated, but the five-kilometre limit has been re-imposed.

You can, however, travel further than five kilometres for essential goods and services when they cannot be accessed closer to home, to visit an intimate partner or a person in your “single” bubble and for authorised work and caring. Only one person per household is allowed to leave to do the shopping.

Gatherings and Work

Gatherings are not permitted in private or public settings with exemptions for intimate partners and single person bubbles.

If you can work from home you must work from home.

Masks

Mask rules remain as they were with face coverings compulsory indoors outside of the home and outdoors including all workplaces.

Exercise and Recreation

Must be done within five kilometres of your home and limited to two people.

Indoor physical recreation and sport is closed with limited exceptions for hydrotherapy.

Outdoor physical recreation and sport is closed except for outdoor playgrounds, skate parks and gym equipment.

Schools and Childcare

Primary and secondary schools will return to remote learning except for vulnerable children or children of authorised workers.

Childcare and early childcare will remain open.

Entertainment and Leisure

Indoor and outdoor fixed seated entertainment, non-seated indoor and outdoor venues, arcades, escape rooms, bingo centres, cinemas, casinos, betting venues, electronic gaming venues, sex on premises venues and public events are all closed.

Retail

Essential retail can open with a density limit of one person per four square metres.

All other general retail is closed except for contactless click and collect.

Hospitality venues are open for take-away only.

Hairdressing, beauty and personal care are all closed.

Accommodation and Real Estate

Accommodation facilities are closed except for permitted reasons.

Physical real estate inspections and auctions are not allowed.

Care Facilities

Visitor restrictions apply with permitted visitors including:

Supporting people under 18 years old;

As a nominated person under the Mental Health Act;

To provide interpreter support; and

For learning to support a patient’s care upon discharge.

No more than two visitors per day. The cap can be exceeded if dependants of a visitor are in the group and care cannot be arranged.

Hospital Visitors

Visitor restrictions apply with permitted visitors including:

As a parent, guardian or carer of a child who is a patient;

To provide care and support for the resident’s physical and emotional wellbeing;

Supporting people under 18 years old;

As a nominated person under the Mental Health Act;

To provide interpreter support;

As a partner of a pregnant woman or patient in a maternity ward; and

For learning to support a patient’s care upon discharge.

No more than two visitors per day. The cap can be exceeded if dependants of a visitor are in the group and care cannot be arranged.

Ceremonies and Religious Gatherings

Funerals are permitted with no more than 10 people (and those needed to conduct the funeral). Children under 12 months are not counted.

Weddings are not permitted unless for end of life or for deportation reasons. There is a limit of five people including the two people being married, a celebrant and two witnesses.

No in-person religious gatherings are permitted. Broadcasted services are permitted for up to five people.

Regional Victoria

The rules will apply statewide.

The government pointed to a positive wastewater test at Wangaratta and recent cases in Bacchus Marsh, Barwon Heads and Mildura as justification for applying the rules to regional areas.

correction

A previous version of this story incorrectly stated the lockdown rules would apply from 11.59pm.

Mathew Dunckley is digital editor at The Age. Based in our Melbourne newsroom, he was previously business editor for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age and Melbourne bureau chief for the Australian Financial Review.

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