Fast Facts: COVID-19 Victoria & Australia
- VIC | GOV | UPDATING | Pandemic Response
- AUST | Coronavirus hotline
- AUST | Helpers and Reliable Sources Along the Way
- Acknowledgment to Sources
- Bye bye to Essentialists
- Self-Isolators, Non-Essentials And The Homebound
1. VIC | GOV | UPDATING | Pandemic Response
The Victorian government has revised COVID-19 restrictions to prevent the further spread of the Melbourne Holiday Inn quarantine hotel outbreak.From 11.59pm on Wednesday 17 February until Friday 26 February 2021 the state of Victoria has following restrictions:
Social
- The five-kilometre limit for leaving home is no longer in place;
- The four reasons to leave home (shopping for things you need, care and care giving, exercise and essential work) no longer apply;
- Faces masks will be required outside where you cannot physically distance 1.5 metres;
- Face masks will be required at all times indoors when away from home;
- A maximum of five visitors will be allowed in the home (up from zero);
- Public gatherings of up to 20 people are allowed.
- People can return to work in the public and private sector, with up to 50 per cent of capacity;
- That will move to 75 per cent but not before Friday, February 26.
- Schools will reopen;
- Universities and TAFEs can reopen, with no density limits on classrooms;
- Childcare and kinders will stay open.
- Visits to hospitals and care facilities will be limited to one household per day, with some exceptions.
Retail and hospitality
The following can reopen, with the same limits that applied before February 12:
The following can reopen, with new density limits:
- Retail outlets and hospitality venues can reopen with the same density limits that were in place last week;
- The density limit is one person per two square metres.
- Religious gatherings and ceremonies will be able to resume with the density limits that previously applied.
- Funerals (previously limited to 10 people) and weddings (previously banned) will no longer have restrictions, except for venue density limits.
- The Australian Open will return to about 50 per cent capacity from Thursday, with nearly 7500 people allowed into Melbourne Park per session going forward.
- Patrons will only be able to buy tickets for centre court, and there will be no more restricting people to “zones” across Melbourne Park. Tickets are already back on sale.
The following can reopen, with the same limits that applied before February 12:
- Gyms
- Pools
- Community centres
- Play centres, indoor skate parks, indoor trampolining centres
- Libraries
- Sport and recreation activities can resume, subject to previous density restrictions.
- Inspections and auctions can resume, with density limits.
The following can reopen, with new density limits:
- Seated venues (indoor and outdoor), restricted to 50 per cent capacity, up to a maximum of 300 people;
- Cinemas, restricted to 50 per cent capacity, up to a maximum of 300 people;
- Non-seated venues (indoor), restricted to 50 per cent capacity, up to a maximum of 300 people.
- Outdoor non-seated venues
- Arcades, bingo centres, escape rooms
- Drive-in cinemas
- Amusement parks
- Gaming venues
- Adult entertainment
- Nightclubs
- Accommodation bookings can resume, with group limits of five guests (based on household gathering limits);
- No cap on patrons for tourism groups;
- Travel allowed, depending on border restrictions.
- Hairdressing, beauty and personal care can resume, as per previous density limits;
- Face masks required but can be removed if necessary for beauty services.
Visit Victorian Department of Health's website:
2. AUST | Coronavirus hotline
- Coronavirus hotline: If you are concerned, call the coronavirus hotline on 1800 675 398 (24 Hours).
- Coronavirus in-language information
- If you are an NDIS participant you can also call the national hotline on 1800 020 080.
- Information and referrals for people with disability and their supporters about Coronavirus: Contact the Disability Information Helpline on 1800 634 787.
- If you are deaf, or have a hearing or speech impairment, you can also call the National Relay Service on 133 677.
- Interpreting service: If you need an interpreter, call TIS National on 131 450.
- Testing locations: Find a testing location near you.
- Call-to-Test-at-Home service, providing in-home coronavirus testing to Victorians who would otherwise be unable to get tested, call the DHHS Coronavirus hotline on 1800 675 398.
- Triple Zero: Please keep Triple Zero (000) for emergencies only.
3. AUST | Helpers and Reliable Sources Along the Way
- Access Easy English – Over 70 resources developed on coronavirus.
- AUSLAN – Updates by Expression Australia - Regular Auslan only videos on updates of breaking news in Victoria, Australia and abroad.
- Australian Government Department of Health – Coronavirus advice for people with disability
- Australian Government Department of Social Services – Daily update on NDIS participants and workforce and easy English information on COVID-19.
- Beyond Blue – translated information on managing your mental health during COVID-19 in 63 languages.
- Blind Citizens Australia – Information on coronavirus for people who are blind or vision impaired.
- Council for Intellectual Disability (CID) – Easy English information for people with intellectual disability and videos about COVID-19.
- DHHS – Victorian Government Department of Health and Human Services advice and information on coronavirus available in 56 languages
- Down Syndrome Australia – Easy Read guide about using money on the internet.
- Ethnolink Language Services – Multi-lingual resource library with information available on coronavirus in 71 languages.
- Expression Australia – Keep up to date with regular Auslan videos on COVID-19, breaking news in Victoria, Australia and abroad.
- GP Expert Advice Matters – a website for patients translated into Arabic, simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Hindi and Vietnamese, and has practical information on how to access a local GP, telehealth and interpreter services
- Health Translations – A comprehensive place to find current COVID 19 multilingual information in 78 languages including Auslan and Easy English.
- MyAus Covid-19 app – Multilingual resource application produced by Migration Council Australia (MCA) for Australia's culturally and linguistically diverse communities about COVID - 19, it's impact and available support.
- National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) – Information about changes to how the NDIS work during the COVID -19 pandemic in 12 languages.
- NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission – Information contains links to updates, training, alerts, and resources for NDIS participants and providers.
- Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN) – promoting The Older Persons COVID-19 Support Line (OPCSL) within ethno-specific communities.
- Safe Steps Family Violence Response Centre – Victoria’s statewide first response service for women, young people and children experiencing family violence.
- SBS – news and information about coronavirus (COVID - 19) available in 63 languages.
- Scope – Key word sign video, posters and easy english resources on communicating COVID-19.
- VALID – 16 Page plain language guide to NDIS Specialist Disability Accommodation
- Women’s Information and Referral Exchange (WIRE) – Free support, referral and information for all Victorian women, nonbinary and gender-diverse people.
4. Acknowledgment to Sources
This is a consolidated account of information current at time of issuance, sourced, collated and provided by Victorian Jewish Community COVID-19 Taskforce, Ethnic Communities' Council of Victoria, Buddhist Council of Victoria, various Government Authorities, newspapers, community organisations and public domain, received with gratitude.
5. Bye bye to Essentialists
Us non-essentialists will endeavour to manage our expection of miracles and do our best to follow rules while staying out of the way.
Contact your closest friendly non-essentialist if you need anything that can be done remotely. Bye bye to Essentialists for now, please leave to attend to the essential work. That is all from GEIFN Caretaker at this time.
6. Self-Isolators, Non-Essentials And The Homebound
Meanwhile, if with a surplus of time, this is offered. Discuss with sincerity. Deny untruth. Dismiss unuseful. Accept useful. Adapt to change. Adopt least effort most benefit. Adept with sharing. Enjoy throughout. As each case may be. Round about. And again. Or not.