Image: Mullum Wetlands, Mansfield Victoria
The Victorian Government has announced restrictions will ease from 6pm on Friday 29 October, with regional Victoria and metropolitan Melbourne set to unite and share the same restrictions, enabling people to travel between Melbourne, regional Victoria and interstate again.
Summary of changes to restrictions from 6pm, Friday 29 October
- Masks will remain mandatory indoors but are no longer required outdoors. It is highly recommended Victorians continue to wear a mask outdoors where they cannot physically distance.
- Most indoor settings, including restaurants, pubs, gyms and hairdressers will open with no capacity limits subject to a DQ4 (one person per four square metres) limit, if all staff and patrons are fully vaccinated.
- Most outdoor settings will remain at DQ2 (one person per two square metres) up to 500, where staff and patrons are fully vaccinated.
- These indoor and outdoor settings will also apply to weddings, funerals and religious gatherings if all attendees are fully vaccinated. Capacity limits of 30 people will apply for weddings, funerals and religious gatherings if vaccination status is unknown.
- Entertainment venues will reopen. For indoor seated venues, including cinemas and theatres, there will be a 75 per cent capacity limit or DQ4 up to 1000 people and for non-seated indoor entertainment venues there will be a DQ4 limit with no patron cap.
- Outdoor seated and non-seated entertainment venues, including stadiums, zoos and tourism attractions, will be open with a DQ2 limit up to 5,000 where staff and patrons are fully vaccinated.
- Events – such as music festivals – will be able to host up to 5,000 attendees, subject to any restrictions related to the venue. The Chief Health Officer may also grant an approval for larger crowds for significant events and venues under the Public Events Framework.
The next milestone in the Roadmap will be when Victoria hits the 90 per cent double dose vaccination target for Victorians 12 years and over – predicted to be as early as Wednesday 24 November.
When Victoria reaches this milestone:
- Capacity limits or density quotients will be removed for all settings.
- Masks will only be mandatory indoors in some high-risk settings such as hospitals, aged care, public transport and justice and correctional facilities.
- There will be no restrictions for indoor and outdoor events provided they follow COVIDSafe rules, including vaccination requirements.
- Events with significant numbers of children may not be able to operate at full capacity while vaccines remain unavailable for children.
- There will be capacity limits for religious ceremonies, weddings and funerals where vaccination status is unknown.
Updated roadmaps for an overview of the restrictions changes, including:
For further information, visit www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au.
