Here we go again: Victoria is heading into seven day snap lockdown from 8pm tonight due to a growing COVID-19 cluster of the Delta variant.
Premier Daniel Andrews made the announcement on Thursday afternoon at a press conference. It’s the state’s sixth lockdown since the pandemic began last year.
“We only get one chance to act fast,” Andrews said.
This comes after Victoria recorded another two COVID-19 cases today and another six yesterday. Of those six cases from yesterday, three are unable to be linked to a primary source.
Once again there will only be five reasons for Victorians to leave their home:
- exercise
- to provide or receive caregiving
- purchasing essential goods (eg. groceries and medication)
- work if it cannot be conducted at home
- receiving a vaccination
Masks will also be required indoors (not at home) and outdoors if you cannot maintain 1.5m distance from each other.
The 5km radius is also back, which means that shopping and exercise must be done within 5km of your home or the nearest location. Exercise is also limited to two people.
Earlier today, Daniel Andrews said he wanted to avoid replicating the situation in Sydney and lock Victoria down early.
“The government’s priority is to avoid what is going on in Sydney. We have got to do everything we can to avoid cases getting out of control like they are in Sydney,” Andrews said.
“We send our best wishes to everybody in Sydney. They are doing it very tough at the moment.”
According to modelling from the Doherty Institute, Andrews said that the best way to avoid an outbreak similar to Sydney is with short, sharp lockdowns.
“There is only one real way to deal with the Delta outbreaks,” he said.
For a list of all the current COVID-19 exposure sites, head here.
