On Sunday, Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews announced a four-step roadmap to leaving lockdown. Obviously, one question on many people’s minds is how soon we can (safely) get on the beers.
As it stands, the roadmap sets out dates from when restrictions can be eased. However it’s still up to the state government to decide if community transmission is low enough to move ahead.
If things aren’t under control in Step 2, then Step 3 may well be pushed back a few weeks, for example.
Here’s your handy guide of what you can and can’t do under each stage of the roadmap, with earliest possible dates for each.
Step 1: September 13 at the earliest
Starting from September 13, the tightest restrictions in Melbourne will be eased.
This means you can now stay out a bit later now that the curfew’s been shortened to 9 PM to 5 AM.
You can also hang with one (1) other person, or members of your own household, outdoors. You can only travel 5km from home to make that happen, too.
As for inviting mates over, single Victorians who live alone and single parents will permitted to invite one other person into their social bubble (a bubble buddy, if you will). This will be the only person you’re allowed to have over at your house – unless your nominated mate has kids who can’t be left alone, that is.
Exercise time has also been upped to two hours each day, compared to just one hour previously.
Step 2: September 28 at the earliest
From now on, you can hang in public with up to five others for two hours. However, all five of you must only belong to two different households.
Primary schools will also start to trickle open again, but the vast majority of students will still be learning online.
Outdoor personal training is allowed to start again, and outdoor pools can reopen too, just in time for summer.
Step 3: October 26 at the earliest
Curfew is GONE! You can now stay out as late as you like without needing a good reason, as long as you abide by other basic hygiene measures ofc.
Outdoor gathering limits have now increased to 10 people, while the social bubble has also expanded to allow up to five mates to come over.
You can also finally get on the beers (or coffees, or whatever) because bars, pubs, cafes and restaurants will be allowed to reopen with a focus on outdoor seating.
However, many places may still opt to remain shut because customer limits make it hard to be profitable.
You’re still encouraged to work from home if possible, but more jobs are allowed to go back to work now. Businesses including shops and hairdressers can reopen, but most salons will remain shut.
Weddings of up to 10 people can be held, and funerals of up to 20.
You can now also travel interstate, as long as you don’t go anywhere with more cases than where you’re from.
Step 4: November 23 at the earliest
Outdoor gatherings have increased to 50 people, while you can also have up to 20 people over at a time.
All shops are also allowed to open, while both weddings and funerals will be able to make the most of the 50 person limit.
As for bars, pubs, cafes and restaurants: indoor venues will be able to have up to 50 guests, while outdoor venues will be able to have even more, as long as everyone’s evenly spread out.
All limits on team sports and outdoor exercise have now been lifted.
Interstate travel should now also be back to normal, with hotels back open for business for anyone (not just quarantining travellers).
The New COVID Normal
Once the whole of Victoria has zero active COVID-19 case and goes 28 days without a new one, things should more or less be back to normal, albeit with frequent hand sanitising and distance-keeping in place.
There are no longer any caps to how many people you can have over, and the same goes for public gatherings. Still, a record of everyone’s contact details must be kept.
The one thing remaining is that international travel will still be heavily restricted, and it’ll probably remain that way until we have a vaccine.
But for everything else, Melbourne could be back to normal in a couple of months.
