The five-day snap lockdown in Victoria will officially come to an end at 11.59 pm tonight, much to the relief of many.
The restrictions were put in place at 11.59 pm on Friday in an attempt to stop the spread of an outbreak of cases from hotel quarantine.
The end of the lockdown comes off the back of Victoria recording no new locally acquired COVID-19 cases.
As reported by 7 News, the health department confirmed on Wednesday that the result came after 39,258 tests were conducted on the one day.
“I think that is the biggest single day of testing we’ve done throughout the pandemic,” Premier Daniel Andrews said.
As a result of the conclusion of the lockdown, the five-kilometre limit for leaving home will be abolished. On top of that, the four reasons to leave home (essential shopping and work, care and caregiving and exercise) will also no longer apply.
A maximum of five visitors will be allowed in a home, as opposed to the 15 that were allowed prior to lockdown. Meanwhile, public gatherings can consist of up to 20 people.
Face maks will still be mandatory both outside and inside, with Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton explaining that maks have “almost certainly stopped some transmission that would have occurred otherwise.”
People will be allowed to return to work in the public and private sector, with up to 50 per cent of capacity. The capacity is expected to move up to 75 per cent on Friday, February 26th.
Schools, universities and TAFES can also reopen, while visits to hospitals and care facilities will be limited to one household per day.
Retail outlets and hospitality venues will be permitted to reopen with the same density limits prior to the lockdown of one person per two square metres.
Funerals and weddings will no longer have restrictions except for venue density limits, and religious gatherings and ceremonies will be able to resume.
Venues like gyms, pools, community centres, libraries, cinemas, amusement parks and nightclubs will also be allowed to reopen.
Meanwhile, travel will be allowed depending on the other states’ border restrictions.
Andrews confirmed that all of these restrictions will be in place until at least Friday, February 26th, when they will be reviewed.
The total number of active cases in Victoria currently remains at 25.
