Victoria’s Chief Health Officer warns of no large crowds when Melbourne lockdown ends

Warning that decisions will be made on a “day-to-day” basis as to whether Melbourne’s lockdown will end at midnight on Thursday, Victoria’s Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton has warned that large crowds large crowds for events will be unlikely once the lockdown if lifted.

Australian Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, said on Monday he hoped the restrictions would “be lifted as soon as possible”, as Victoria recorded 11 new cases of COVID-19. Monday’s numbers were up from the weekend’s totals, but all 11 cases were linked to existing outbreaks.

Ahead of the release of Tuesday’s COVID case numbers, Professor Sutton said it was “good news” that the new cases were all linked to known cases and did not reveal a new outbreak.

However, Professor Sutton warned Victorians that any lifting would still not be “a snap-back to large gatherings at a full MCG”, going on to say “as I’ve always said, we’re looking at the numbers every day.

“We make those decisions on a day-by-day basis … it’s not something I can speak to now. It’s early days still.”

Victoria’s current restrictions are scheduled to end at 11.59pm on Thursday. An initial seven-day lockdown for the whole state was announced on 27th May, extended as of last Wednesday for a further seven days in Melbourne.

The lockdown has impacted a wide range of businesses with aquatic facilities and gyms closed and sporting events and live entertainment events called off or, in the case of AFL fixtures, relocated.

At present it is not known how any easing of Melbourne's lockdown will impact the operation of aquatic facilities and gyms, despite extensive lobbying for exercise activities to be classed as an essential service.

Professor Sutton is on record as having stated that gyms are high risk environments.