Addressing the media this morning, Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein said pubs would be allowed to serve 10 seated patrons alongside cafes and restaurants next week, as the state recorded its fifth day straight with no new coronavirus cases.
“Our hotel and club industry will step back into this steadily over time,” he said, acknowledging that some pubs may not find 10 socially-distanced patrons at a time to be a viable way to operate.
“As I’ve said, the first steps that we take may not suit every business.”
Also from Monday, the number of visitors allowed to a home will increase to five, and the number of people allowed to gather outside will increase from two to 10.
The first changes adopting the new level of restrictions in the state came yesterday, when Tasmanians were allowed to exercise in national parks and reserves within 30 kilometres of their home, and the cap on the number of attendees at a funeral was increased from 10 to 20 people.
Mobile coronavirus testing buses will head to regional towns across Tasmania in coming weeks as the state treads a cautious path out of restrictions.
Clinics are set to open in Bothwell, Scottsdale and Geeveston, south of Hobart, this weekend, with further areas to be targeted.
Anyone in the state with cold or flu symptoms is being urged to contact the public health hotline and come forward for testing.
“As we ease restrictions, some people may think that this means the threat has gone away. It has not,” Courtney said..
Tasmania has recorded four cases of coronavirus this month.
Almost 20,000 people have been tested so far in the state.
