VMC | UPDATING | Community on easing coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions | Tuesday 20 October 2020

[Edited extract from public address]

The Victorian Government has announced changes to coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions in metropolitan Melbourne. 

Metropolitan Melbourne

These are the important changes to understand if you live in metropolitan Melbourne:

• You can travel up to 25 km from your home for shopping, exercise or for outdoor social gatherings.
• 10 people from a maximum of 2 households can meet outdoors for a social gathering in a public place like a park. You cannot travel further than 25 km.
• There is no time limit on how long you can exercise or socialise outdoors.
• Hairdressing is open and permitted allied health services are fully open.
• More outdoor work can resume. This includes non-essential outdoor home maintenance and repairs, house painters, car washing, mobile pet groomers, outdoor photography and pool cleaners.
• Real estate auctions can resume with a cap of 10 people.
• Outdoor pools can have up to 30 people (with density quotient).
• Tennis, golf and skate parks can open at outdoor facilities.

The Victorian Government has also announced that metropolitan Melbourne will move to the full Third Step of the roadmap for reopening by 11:59pm on Sunday 1 November.

This will mean the reopening of restaurants and cafes, retail and personal services.

Regional Victoria

There will also be some changes to restrictions in regional Victoria from 11:59pm on Sunday, 18 October.

These are the important changes to understand if you live in regional Victoria:

• You are allowed to have two people (plus dependants) visit your home, once a day. They do not have to be from the same household. The household bubble no longer exists.
• You can have up to 20 people at an outdoor religious gathering.
• At hospitality venues, you can have up to 70 people outside (1 person per 2 square metres) and up to 40 people inside (10 people maximum per closed space, 1 person per 4 square metres)
• Libraries and toy libraries are open to up to 20 people.

Outdoor religious gatherings will move to 50 people from 11:59pm on Sunday, 1 November.

Masks and testing

You are still required to wear a face mask whenever you leave home, covering your nose and mouth. You cannot wear a face covering such as a scarf, bandana or face shield.

If you have any symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19), please get tested immediately and isolate at home until you receive your results. There is support available for people who cannot go to work while they isolate at home.

Read the 18/10 Victorian Premier's statement.

For more details on what is allowed under these restrictions, visit www.vic.gov.au/roadmap

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Victorian Multicultural Commission (VMC)
Address: Level 3, 1 Macarthur Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
Tel: (03) 7005 1267
Email: contact@vmc.vic.gov.au
Website: www.multicultural.vic.gov.au