NSW and Victorian Governments announce scrapping of QR codes and COVID easing measures

The Victorian and NSW Governments have today each announced the scrapping of QR codes and significant easing of Coronavirus restrictions.

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet announced that the use of masks and QR codes will soon be scaled back under new COVID rules, with singing and dancing in public places to be permitted from tomorrow.

Premier Perrottet had previously flagged 28th February as the date that restrictions would be eased, but said "the efforts people made across the state" allowed them to be changed earlier.

As a result, from tomorrow (18th February) in NSW:

• All density restrictions will be scrapped

• Singing and dancing will be allowed at all hospitality venues

• QR code check-ins will only be required for nightclubs and music festivals

• The direction for employees to work from home will also be changed, and will be left to "employer's discretion"

From Friday 25th February:

• Masks will no longer be mandatory in most indoor settings, but you'll still need one on public transport, and in hospitals and aged-care facilities

• Masks will be encouraged indoors where people can't maintain social distancing, such as retail settings

• Singing and dancing will be permitted at all music festivals

• The 20,000-person cap on music festivals will be removed

In addition, from Monday 21st February. the length of hotel quarantine for unvaccinated international arrivals will be reduced from 14 to seven days.

Premier Perrottet said it had been "a difficult two years" in his state but that the changes were a result of "pleasing signs" in hospitals, where the number of COVID patients continues to decline.

Victoria set to scrap QR codes and density limits
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has today also advised that, from tomorrow, workplace mask mandates will be removed while bars and pubs will be restored to usual business with density limits removed as well singing and dancing will also be allowed back.

The 14-day hotel quarantine requirement for non-vaccinated international travellers will also be cut in half.

Announcing the changes, Premier Andrews explained “we have made it very clear that we will do everything we can to normalise this virus - to push beyond it to get as close to normal living normal activity as we could possibly achieve.

“That’s always based on health advice. It’s always based on science and the numbers of the day and trends that we see numbers of people in hospital for instance.

“But having seen Omicron peak, and in seeing the numbers continue to fall over these last few weeks, (we have) made a number of decisions.”

Premier Andrews also softened his stance on any third vaccination mandates, noting “there comes a point where things become kind of impractical and you’ve got so many different systems operating at once that it doesn’t really work.”

Premier Andrews did not announce a change in indoor mask rules, but said he hoped masks will not be necessary from next week.