From 11:59 pm on Tuesday, Victorians can have up to five visitors at home and gather in groups of up to 10 outdoors, although the government has urged people to exercise caution and be responsible with their new freedoms.
As part of the new rules, Victorians can partake in recreational activities such as golf, fishing and hiking, as well as attend mass and group support services such as Alcoholics Anonymous, so long as social distancing rules are observed.
Under the eased restrictions, adopted under Stage 1 of the National Cabinet’s roadmap to reopening the country, Victorians are now allowed to:
- Have five visitors in a home
- Gather in a group of 10 people outside to exercise
- Attend a community service, such as an AA meeting or religious service, with up to nine other people
- Hold weddings with 10 attendees
- Hold funerals with 20 attendees inside (and 30 for outside services)
Cafes and restaurants remain closed in the state, which on Tuesday announced it would reopen schools from May 26.
The changes will be in place until May 31, when the situation will be re-evaluated.
It comes after Victoria recorded seven new cases of coronavirus overnight, including three people connected to the Cedar Meats Australia cluster.
The latest cases linked to the abattoir outbreak are close contacts, not workers, Jobs and Tourism Minister Martin Pakula revealed this morning.
There are now 88 cases connected to Cedar Meats, and a total of 1514 diagnoses around Victoria so far.
Nine people remain in hospital, including six people in intensive care.
There are just 110 active cases after 1385 recovered.
Sadly, 18 people have died in Victoria.
Pakula said 164 of the cases may have been acquired through community transmission, with no known contact with other cases or overseas travel.
Another 14,000 people were tested on Tuesday, with a total 273,000 tested so far.
