Daniel Andrews announces the lifting of coronavirus restrictions in Melbourne to...

Prime Minister Daniel Andrews has confirmed the 25-kilometer travel limit in Melbourne and the “ring of steel” that separates the city from regional Victoria is being lifted to ease restrictions in the city to a large extent.

Important points:

• It’s the first time since late June that all of Victoria has had the same attitudes
• Gyms, theaters, and cinemas will reopen on Monday, and more people will be allowed into restaurants
• The most significant relaxation of social restrictions is expected to be announced on November 22nd

The restrictions will be lifted from 11:59 p.m. tonight.

This means that the current rules for the regional Victoria apply to the entire state.

It is the first time since the end of June that 10 postcodes were blocked in Melbourne when the second wave spread.

The state had nine consecutive “double donut” days with no new infections or deaths from coronavirus, bringing the 14-day rolling average to just 0.4.

There are now only four confirmed active cases across the state.

Starting tomorrow, the density limits of restaurants and pubs will be increased to 40 guests inside and 70 outside.

Gyms and indoor sports centers can be operated by up to 20 people, with strict density limits.

Religious ceremonies are increased to 50 people outside. However, this change does not yet apply to weddings.

Theaters and cinemas can also be reopened, with 20 guests per room.

Visiting restrictions for hospitals and care facilities have been eased slightly to allow a household to visit a patient or resident for up to two hours.

Previously, visitors were only allowed if they had certain exceptions.

Tourist accommodations across the state are now open and there are restrictions on bookings.

Mr Andrews said a tourism campaign would be launched to encourage people to visit Gippsland, which was badly hit by bush fires over the summer.

The restrictions for home visitors have been eased slightly, masks are retained

Victorians are allowed to have two different adult visitors and their loved ones together or separately each day.

Previously, Melburnians could only have up to two adults from the same household in one house.

Familiar partners or people who normally live at home are still excluded from the two-person limit.

There is no change to the rules for public gatherings, which means that up to 10 people from any number of households can still meet in public. Infants under one year of age are still excluded from the upper limit.

The wearing of masks in public remains mandatory in what Mr. Andrews calls an “insurance policy”.

Brett Sutton, chief health officer, said masks could “significantly reduce” the risk of transmitting the virus, especially before they developed symptoms.

“There will be a time when we will change the settings for masks, but they are useful because they reduce transmission from people who may have an infection,” he said.

The workforce limits have been lifted for the meat, poultry and fish processing industries, but strict COVID-safe rules must still be followed.

According to the new rules, anyone who can work from home must continue to work from home.

“The time will come when we can change that, but that’s not now,” said Andrews.

The next step is to take place on November 22nd

Further restrictions are due to be lifted Nov. 22 if cases remain low, including allowing up to 10 people to attend private gatherings indoors and up to 50 people outdoors.

It is expected that the density quotients for sport and recreation will be increased.

But Mr. Andrews again urged the Victorians to remain vigilant and continue to be tested for even mild symptoms.

“Nine days zero is not the same as a vaccine,” said Andrews.

The government has changed its slogan from “staying apart keeps us together” to “staying safe, staying open”.

“Today is the day to be positive and optimistic about the future, but the constant chorus has to be to stay safe in order to stay open,” said Andrews.

The state of emergency remains, the state of disaster must be lifted

Victoria has lived in both disaster and emergency states for months.

Mr Andrews said the disaster state introduced when the city curfew and other measures under the Level 4 lockdown were put in place would not be extended.

“Because as long as the virus is still with us, we will be in a place where we no longer need this legal instrument, and that is good news,” he said.

The state of emergency that has existed since March is being extended.

Read the Prime Minister’s full statement:

Nothing about this year was easy.

But the hardest part of all was missing the people we love most.

Together we missed the big and small moments.

Birthdays and barbecues. Special dinners and cups of tea.

Those things we didn’t even know we would miss – until we realized how valuable they really were.

But we did it. Because staying apart meant protecting one another.

Because of this sacrifice, our state can be whole again today. The families will also be healthy again.

Starting this evening at 11:59 p.m., the border between Melbourne and regional Victoria will fall.

The 25-kilometer limit will no longer apply.

And the Victorians will be able to make up for lost time with loved ones.

There are a few other changes.

The rules that currently apply to regional Victoria apply to the entire state – wherever you live.

For Melbourne, this means visits home will be relaxed – a little.

You can still visit a maximum of two people per day. In the future, however, these two people do not have to come from the same household and they can come at different times.

It’s really important that people stick to these rules. The data on this is very clear: so many of our recent outbreaks have involved house calls

Home is where we relax, where we feel good – that’s why it’s so dangerous.

There will be other changes for Melbourne as well. Restaurants, pubs and cafes can accommodate up to 40 customers indoors and 70 outdoors.

Gyms and indoor sports facilities can be opened for up to 20 people – subject to strict density limits. Indoor sports for people under the age of 18 can be resumed.

Indoor religious ceremonies are increased to 20, 50 allowed outside. The same numbers apply to funerals, but weddings don’t change for now.

Common spaces such as libraries or RSLs and neighborhood houses can have up to 20 indoor spaces with groups of up to ten people.

And the property can be opened – because honestly the Victorians deserve a break.

There are some other changes that we could make.

Indoor entertainment venues with 20 people per room can open starting tonight and across the state.

This means that cinemas, galleries, museums and music halls can now be opened.

Something that I know will mean a lot to many families, and the rules for visiting elderly care and hospitals are also being relaxed.

Instead of a certain number of visitors, a household can visit together. Once a day and limited to two hours.

People under the age of 16 can also visit hospitals. And the deadline for partners visiting maternity wards will no longer exist.

However, individual hospitals and institutions may still have their own policies that reflect the needs of their patients and the impact of the virus in our community.

According to the progress that we have made, the state of disaster will not be renewed. With the virus still very widespread, the state of emergency will be extended until December 6 to keep the chief health officer’s instructions in effect.

As of November 22nd, Victoria is on track to make the final step on our reopening roadmap.

Private gatherings can be increased to 10 people.

Meetings for services, weddings, and funerals will also increase.

Our restaurants can have up to 100 inside and 200 outside.

There will also be increases for other indoor venues such as movie theaters, gyms, and galleries.

Further details of other changes will be made available online.

Of course, we will continue to rely on the advice of our public health experts as we arrive.

And we will continue to rely on the efforts of every Victorian.

By now everyone knows the exercise to be on the safe side – so that I can’t waste words. But i will say this:

We worked so hard. We gave up so much. And together we’ve come so far.

We have to protect it.

So, let’s stay safe, stay open – and move on.