PLANS are to lift the lockdown in regional Victoria next week, excluding Shepparton until they erase their positive case numbers.
Premier Daniel Andrews announced on Wednesday afternoon due to low case numbers everywhere else in regional Victoria plans are to lift the strict conditions, however, he couldn't determine the date this might occur.
"There will be an opening up and there will be substantial restrictions on what can occur and of course no one other than those who are authorised will be able to go to regional Victoria from metropolitan Melbourne," he said.
"Hopefully over the next few days we will be able to speak in more detail and indeed into early next week about what things look like in regional Victoria, looking to the future.
"With the exception of Shepparton because it may need to be treated differently for a period of time until we've cleared all those cases and (then) they will be able to re-join the rest of regional Victoria."
"It will not be a full opening up, there will not be hundreds of people at the pub or the restaurant or the café but there will be activity that is possible and safe and that will be in excess of what's happening in Melbourne as cases and the epidemiology are very different."
Meanwhile, Mr Andrews announced that remote learning will continue for all schools across the state until the end of term three, with plans for term four to be outlined next week.
"The key point is we will vaccinate our year 12s and we'll get that done in good time and next week we'll have more to say about how we're going to do year 11 to our 12 year old students," he said.
He announced September 23 as the date the state is expecting vaccination rates for first doses will reach 70 per cent and this will signal a lifting of more restrictions.
In the meantime from 11.59pm Thursday, September 2 playgrounds will re-open – with strict rules to keep everyone safe.
Playgrounds will be for children under 12 with only one parent or carer, and adults should not remove their masks to eat or drink.
Playgrounds will also have QR codes for checking in.
In-home care – like babysitters – will also be expanded to school aged children but only if both parents are authorised workers.
When 70 per cent of Victorians have had at least one vaccine dose the state will look to ease restrictions a little further.
At that point, the 5km radius will expand to 10km – so exercise and shopping can take place up to 10km from your home.
If there’s no shops in your 10km radius, you’ll be able to travel to the ones closest to you.
Victorians will be able to exercise for an extra hour, for up to three hours per day.
Outdoor personal training will be allowed with up to two people plus the trainer.
Outdoor communal gym equipment and skateparks will reopen.
Private inspections of unoccupied premises for a new purchase or end of lease will be permitted but only one household may attend at a time, with the agent staying outdoors during the inspection.
Victoria’s construction workforce will also be able to increase to 50 per cent when 90 per cent of their workers have received at least one vaccine dose, subject to epidemiology at the time.
Up to five staff will be able to work onsite at entertainment venues to broadcast performances.
To ensure senior students sitting year 12 exams have certainty and are ready for exams, from Tuesday, September 7 until Friday, September 17 a priority vaccination program will be activated.
As part of this program, year 12 students will be given priority booking access at our state-run clinics, as will their teachers and examiners.
Students and teachers will need to book an appointment, as walk ups are not available as part of this blitz.
Students and teachers will be able to book one of these priority appointments from Monday, September 6.
The Department of Health and the Department of Education will work directly with schools, and students and parents will receive the advice on how to arrange a booking through their schools.
As we reach the national cabinet threshold of 70 per cent and 80 per cent of people double dose vaccinated in Victoria, the government will ease more restrictions at set intervals, as part of the National Plan to transition Australia’s National COVID-19 Response.
All Victorians are encouraged where possible to book their vaccination appointment by visiting portal.cvms.vic.gov.au or by phoning the Coronavirus hotline on 1800 675 398.
