From midnight on 27 October, metropolitan Melbourne moved into Third Step restrictions. People have celebrated by rushing to their local Kmart, booking movie tickets and reserving spots at their favourite restaurants. Let’s take you through what you need to know about Melbourne’s easing restrictions.
I’m in Melbourne
While the restrictions have eased in metropolitan Melbourne, there are still certain rules in place to keep everyone safe. As of 11.59pm on 27 October, if you’re in Melbourne, Third Step restrictions mean:
- There are no restrictions on the reasons you can leave home.
- You can travel up to 25km from your home. There are no restrictions on how far you can travel for care and caregiving, work, for medical care or in an emergency.
- There are no restrictions on the time of day or frequency you can leave home.
- If you can work from home you must work from home.
- You must wear a fitted face mask when you leave home.
You can find a comprehensive outline of what restrictions have been eased and how here. Check in with your institution to see if there are any updates on campuses reopening.
There are also some general suggestions to keep everybody safe as restrictions ease. These include:
- Wearing a face mask when you leave home
- Washing your hands regularly
- Coughing and sneezing into your elbow
- Keeping at least 1.5 metres distance from others
- Avoid sharing food or drinks
- Catch up outside. Being outdoors reduces the risk of spreading the virus.
I’m in regional Victoria
There are some differences between restrictions in regional Victoria and metropolitan Melbourne due to the current rates of local transmission. The situation is continually under assessment and there will be further announcements by the Victorian Government when the metropolitan restrictions are eased to align with the restrictions in regional Victoria.
Further easing of restrictions was announced for regional Victoria, commencing 27 October. These include gyms reopening (with limits on the number of people), live music recommencing and food courts reopening.
You can find a comprehensive outline of the regional Victoria restrictions here.
I’m interstate – can I enter Victoria?
Interstate border restrictions around Australia are continually being reassessed, and each state and territory is imposing its own rules on leaving, entering and quarantining. Click here for more details on whether your state or territory is allowing entry to Victoria, and whether you’ll need to quarantine when you return.
