Melburnians will be allowed to travel 25 kilometers from home and there will be no limits on time spent away from their residence as a part of eased COVID-19 restrictions due to start Monday.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews announced the lifting of some restrictions on Sunday, after authorities confirmed the Australian state had two new cases of coronavirus and no further deaths.
But Melbourne businesses must wait longer for eased restrictions, with Andrews confirming that changes to retail, hospitality and “personal care” services won’t change until November.
“There is some optimism, confidence even, but if things continue this week as they have the last five days, we may be able to bring that forward,” he said of the wait for business operators.
Groups of up to 10 people from two households can gather outdoors and two adults and their dependents will be allowed to visit another property each day.
For months, Melburnians have only been permitted to travel within a five kilometer radius of their home and only for a maximum period of one or two hours.
“I’ve announced today what is safe but what will not undermine the efforts that Victorians have put in,” Andrews said.
The latest rolling daily case count is 7.5 in metropolitan Melbourne for the fortnight up to Saturday. Regional Victoria’s two-week average is 0.5.
The statistics mean Victoria’s coronavirus death count remains at 816 and the national toll is 904.
Sunday’s eased restrictions do not change mandatory mask wearing whenever Victorians leave home.
Health authorities continue to investigate Victoria’s 15 cases for the fortnight up to Thursday, which have no known source.
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