Victorian Government charts ‘return to normality’ as vaccination rates rise

With the state set to reach its 80% double dose vaccination target almost a week ahead of schedule, the Victorian Government has announced changes to its roadmap for further easing of lockdown restriction from Friday 29th October.

A statement from the Victorian Government has today advised “thanks to the hard work of millions of Victorians who turned out to get vaccinated in recent months, the Victorian Government has today been able to outline what life will be like as we hit our 80% and 90% double dose targets.

“Victoria will reach its 80% double dose vaccination milestone almost a week ahead of schedule, on Friday 29th October. When we reach our 90% double dose milestone - predicted to be as early as 24 November - a significant easing of all major restrictions will occur.”

The statement added that, as of 6pm on Friday 29th October “Regional Victoria and metropolitan Melbourne will unite and move forward on the same restrictions, enabling people from Melbourne to travel to regional Victoria and interstate again.”

As a result most indoor settings, including restaurants, pubs, gyms and hairdressers will open with no caps subject to a ‘DQ4’ (1 per 4 square metre) limit, if all staff and patrons are fully vaccinated. Most outdoor settings will remain at DQ2 (1 per 2 square metre) limit 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. Caps 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 a 75% capacity or DQ4 up to 1,000 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. Victoria’s Chief Health Officer may also grant an approval for larger crowds for significant events and venues under the Public Events Framework.

Masks will remain mandatory indoors but are no longer required outdoors. It is highly recommended you continue to wear a mask outdoors where you cannot physically distance, such as busy street or outdoor market.

The next milestone in the roadmap will be when Victoria hits the 90% double dose vaccination target for Victorians 12 years and over - predicted to be as early as Wednesday 24th November.

At this point, caps or density quotients will be removed for all settings, and 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.

Click here to view a summary of the Victorian Government's latest roadmap.

Image courtesy of Humanforce.