Melbourne Restrictions Are Back After An Australian Open Quarantine Worker Tested Positive

From 11:59pm on Wednesday night, Melbourne will revert to the same lockdown restrictions as New Years Eve after a hotel quarantine worker who worked with Australian Open competitors tested positive for COVID-19.

The 26-year-old man worked at the Grand Hyatt hotel and is now in isolation at a health hotel. His close contacts are currently being traced.

However the new case means that some light restrictions are being reintroduced for the time being.

Here’s what you need to know.

Lockdown Restrictions

Victoria is going back to the same restrictions the state had over New Year’s Eve from 11:59pm on Wednesday night.

Private gatherings are now limited to 15 people.

Face masks must also be worn at all indoors locations, including at private gatherings.

Additionally, the planned shift to opening offices and businesses at 75% capacity from next Monday, February 8, has been paused for obvious reason.

“That doesn’t mean it won’t happen some time shortly after then, but at this stage, we’re pausing that,” Andrews said.

Exposure Sites

In addition to the restrictions, the Victorian government released a list of potential exposure sites:

  • Club Noble in Noble Park – Saturday, January 30, 2:36pm – 3:30pm
  • Aces Sporting Club (Driving Range) in Keysborough – Saturday, January 30, 10:00pm – 11:15pm
  • Northpoint Café in Brighton – Sunday, January 31, 8:10am – 9:30am
  • Kmart in Keysborough – Sunday, January 31, 4:00pm – 5:00pm
  • Kmart in Brandon Park  – Sunday, January 31, 4:35pm – 5:10pm
  • Coles in Springvale – Sunday, January 31, 5:00pm – 6:00pm
  • Bunnings in Springvale – Monday, February 1, 11:28am – 12:15pm
  • Golf Academy in Heatherton – Monday, February 1, 5:19pm – 6:30pm

“Anybody who’s been at any one of those eight exposure sites during the times indicated […] should please come forward to get tested tomorrow. Please, do not delay,” Victorian Health Minister Martin Foley said.

Andrews added that anyone with any symptoms needs to get tested ASAP. You can find out where to get tested here.

Are we fucked?

No. This is just one case and Victoria’s contact tracing system has been massively overhauled since the second wave last year. These restrictions are just a precaution and aren’t too tough.

“We – all of us across this state – having been through everything we’ve been through, having been, as a community, so united and had that real sense of purpose to beat this thing, I’m confident that we all know what we have to do,” Andrews said.

“I’m confident that we’ve got this in good time and we are working as hard as we possibly can, and many hundreds of people will be working throughout the evening, and for as long as it takes, to track down every single close contact, to test them, to track and trace and isolate, and to essentially contain and smother this, just as we did at Blackrock around Christmastime/New Year’s Eve, and indeed many other outbreaks throughout the course of 2020.”

You heard the man. Have a cough? Get tested and stay home.

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