Premier Dan Andrews reveals Victoria’s roadmap out of lockdown

September 19, 2021 Ava

Premier Daniel Andrews has finally unveiled his roadmap out of lockdown as the state recorded 507 new cases of Covid-19 and one death.

Lockdown in Victoria is set to end on October 26 to coincide with when the state hits 70 per cent double vaccination.

By Christmas Day up to 30 visitors will be allowed inside homes once 80 per cent of the eligible population is fully-vaccinated.

Victorians can enjoy outdoor recreation like tennis and basketball from as early as next week with the government to ease restrictions on outdoor activities.

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The changes will take affect when 80 per cent of the population has had a single dose of a Covid vaccine, earmarked for September 26.

Personal training will resume for up to five fully vaccinated people outdoors and the travel limit will be extended from 10km to 15km.

More freedoms will be returned once 70 per cent of Victoria’s population is double vaccinated with lockdown to be lifted and the 9pm-5am curfew scrapped.

All school children will be allowed to return for on-site learning at least for a few days a week with childcare to open for children of fully-vaccinated parents.

The travel limit for Melbourne residents will be extended to 25km.

Healthcare workers will be required to have had one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine by October 15, with other industry’s to receive dates for a mandated jab.

The Victorian government is also working towards making it mandatory to be vaccinated to enter some venues.

Victoria’s roadmap out of lockdown

When the state hits 70 per cent double vaccination:

*No restrictions on leaving home and 9pm-5am curfew scrapped

*Travel limit increased to 25km

*Early childcare to reopen for children of fully-vaccinated parents

*General retail will reopen for outdoor service only with click and collect services to remain available

*Hair salons will reopen for the fully-vaccinated with a limit on five patrons

*Hospitality will reopen for seated and outdoor service only for fully-vaccinated patrons and a capacity limit of 50

*Fully-vaccinated groups can gather in groups of ten, while unvaccinated groups will be capped at five

Mr Andrews has finally revealed what life will look like for the rest of the year once 70 per cent of the population is fully vaccinated.

The highly-anticipated plan will allow outdoor dining with face-to-face learning to resume from the first week of October.

While some hospitality venues may finally be able to reopen, they will have strict density limits and could only be permitted to seat customers outdoors.

Health officials spent Saturday night with senior ministers finalising the roadmap, the Sunday Herald Sun reported.

The changes will be officially announced by the Mr Andrews at 12pm on Sunday and the roadmap will also detail a second stage with changes to travel, sport and new rules for pubs and restaurants once Victoria hits 80 per cent fully jabbed.

But the premier is also poised to outline a new third stage of opening up, meaning many restrictions will stay in place until Christmas or New Year when 90 per cent have had both shots.

The roadmap will allow Year 12 students to return to school during the first week in October in preparation for their final exams.

Kindergarten to Year 2 students will then follow with all remaining year groups to return towards the end of the month.

Once the 80 per cent target is reached, the state will open up even more, with community sport, indoor dining and regional travel all on the cards.

But the delayed easing of many restrictions until a third stage could result in some major summer events only being open to the double jabbed.

The Boxing Day Test against England, if allowed to go ahead, will almost certainly be restricted to fully vaccinated spectators.

Art galleries, museums and government events would also require attendees to be fully inoculated.

Victoria recorded 507 new Covid-19 cases and one death on Sunday as the state’s Delta outbreak continues to spiral out of control.

There are currently 204 Victorians hospitalised with Covid-19 with 55 in ICU, 38 of those requiring a ventilator.

The state administered 43,441 vaccine doses on Saturday with 43.5 per cent of eligible Victorians fully vaccinated and 71.2 per cent single-dosed.

From Sunday night, Geelong, Surf Coast and Mitchell shire surrounds will re-enter lockdown due to positive cases that have emerged in the areas.

How many infections were linked to the outbreak wasn’t revealed, showing contact tracers are even more overwhelmed than usual.

One minister told the Sunday Herald Sun the government had ‘no choice’ but to take a cautious approach since case numbers were so high.

‘You have got to manage your numbers in hospital and ICU,’ the minister said.

Mr Andrews said on Friday Victoria’s roadmap would outline how life will look for Victorians for the rest of the year.

‘It won’t answer every question and it won’t necessarily provide every single rule change for months and months and months,’ he said.

‘It’ll be a meaningful document and it’ll give people a really clear sense of what we’re working towards.’

WHAT VICTORIA’S ROAD MAP IS SET TO LOOK LIKE:

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews will unveil the road map out of lockdown on Sunday.

Restrictions expected to ease once 70 per cent of the population aged 16 and over are double vaccinated include the following:

Hospitality venues can reopen for diners but there will be strict density limits and outdoor dining may only be allowed

The limit of travel is also expected to be bumped up to 25km

Year 12 students will return to the classroom as of the first week of October

Kindergarten to Year 2 will then return to school followed by all remaining years which are due to be back by the end of October

Mr Andrews is also expected to announce a further easing of restrictions once 80 per cent are double jabbed

These include allowing regional travel for Victorians

Community sport may also be allowed once this target is hit

Customers may also be able to dine indoors at hospitality venues

Restrictions will be eased yet again at 90 per cent, as part of a ‘third stage’

Paul Guerra, Victorian Chamber of Commerce chief executive, said a roadmap that did not grant the same freedoms at 70 per cent as NSW would be a ‘massive blow’ to workers and businesses.

He also expressed concern that the Andrews government would resist opening up even at 80 per cent, and renege on its commitments to open up.

‘Some operators are fearful that 90 will be the new 80 and that the government won’t fulfil their promise of returning to normal at 80 per cent,’ Mr Guerra said.

Melbourne has been battling its Delta outbreak since July after residents were thrown back into lockdown on July 15.

Restrictions began to ease on July 27 but another lockdown was announced on August 5 as Covid cases began to climb.

Since then cases have continued to jump with the state recording another 535 new Covid-19 infections on Saturday – the highest number in the latest outbreak.

Melbourne has spent 228 days in lockdown since since march 2020, and is set to notch up a grim world record for the most days spent under stay-at-home laws when it passes Buenos Aires on September 23.

Despite case numbers climbing, up to 1,000 protesters took to the streets of Melbourne demanding an end to lockdown.

The protests turned ugly with six police officers ending up in hospital and 235 people were arrested.

Pharmacies across Victoria are poised to receive thousands of Moderna doses on Monday, as the state ramps up efforts to vaccinate more residents.

More than 300,000 Moderna vaccines will be delivered to 721 pharmacies across the state with more doses expected to arrive in October and November.

Footy fans have been encouraged to wear the colours of their favourite team to vaccination appointments this weekend, coinciding with the AFL season finale.

The clash between the Melbourne Demons and Western Bulldogs was held at Perth’s Optus Stadium on Saturday night, once again moved away from the MCG.

Source: Thanks msn.com