The 112-day lockdown in Melbourne is finally getting over as Australia seems to have surpassed its second wave of coronavirus in the State of Victoria.
The Victorian Premier ‘Daniel Andrews’ finally announced that Melbourne will be re-opening on October 28th, 2020, after 112 days. The announcement comes as a result of zero new coronavirus infections and zero deaths reported in the state of Victoria on Monday. The active cases are at 91.
Andrews stated on Monday that “it’s time to re-open now” after the state recorded no coronavirus cases, and emphasized on the enhanced testing done by the government. He also praised Victoria’s six million residents and credited the achievement to each Victorian who followed the rules and cooperated in bringing down the coronavirus numbers in the state.
End of Lockdown in Melbourne Welcomed by Prime Minister’s Office
The Prime Minister’s office released a statement acknowledging the end of Lockdown in Melbourne by the Victorian Premier starting Tuesday, October 27 at 11:59 p.m. The statement also highlighted the contribution of Victorians in these testing times and thanked them for their patience and perseverance. While past weeks saw huge criticism of the government due to the extra cautious approach of the state’s government, Prime Minister ‘Scott Morrison’ and other ministers have lauded the announcement of the end of lockdown in Melbourne.
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The residents of Melbourne practiced home confinement for 111 days, while stores and restaurants were closed, stay-at-home orders and curfews were in place. Victoria state was the worst affected when the second wave of coronavirus struck the Australian continent. The state accounted for 90% of the 905 coronavirus fatalities. It went for a complete lock-down for the second time on July 7, 2020, and implemented proactive testing and tracing to curb the virus spread. Restrictions were imposed on travel up to 25 km and the movement of people between Greater Melbourne and regional Victoria was banned. Melbourne specifically endured tough measures including total night-curfews and an hourly limit on outdoor exercises. Also traveling more than 5 km away from home was barred. The infections peaked in Aug 2020, before coming down as the restrictions were exercised.
How the End of Lockdown in Melbourne will work?
From October 28th, the re-opening of Melbourne will be implemented as follows:
- People can freely leave the house.
- Retail Stores, Cafes, Pubs, and Restaurants will open, with a limit of 20 seating, while a maximum of 10 people per space.
- In public places, a maximum of 50 people will be allowed with one person per two square meters.
- People can visit other households, with conditions which will be revealed on Tuesday.
- Outdoor gathering and Weddings can have a maximum of 10 people
- Funerals will be allowed to have a maximum of 20 people.
More restrictions will be eased from November 8, 2020, which include:
- Melbournians can travel elsewhere in Victoria, as the 25 Km limit on travel will be removed.
- Gyms and Fitness Studios will re-open with protocols.
- Restaurants and Bars will enjoy large patron limits.
Following the announcement of the end of lockdown in Melbourne, there was immense joy and relief among people as they poured their excitement on social media.
The Victorian Premier in his announcement also called for a ‘COVID-normal’ situation and urged the people to not let their guards down. He assured that the state will tread towards a ‘COVID-normal’ Christmas as the festive season is around.
