Victoria has reintroduced face masks and reduced the size of private gatherings as it reacts to news of a hotel quarantine worker testing positive to COVID-19.
A Victorian hotel quarantine worker has tested positive to COVID-19, prompting the state government to reintroduce masks indoors and reduce the size of private gatherings.
The state’s health department revealed the positive test on Wednesday night, adding that public health teams were investigating the case and close contacts were being notified.
Premier Daniel Andrews said the new case was in a 26-year-old man from Noble Park in Melbourne’s south-east who had been working as a resident support worker as part of the Australian Open quarantine program.
His infection has prompted alerts for exposure sites in Noble Park, Brighton, Springvale, Keysborough, Brandon Park and Heatherton.
Victoria’s COVID-19 restrictions changed overnight after the state recorded its first locally-acquired case of the virus in 27 days.
Here is what you need to know:
Any plans involving more than 15 visitors to Victorian homes will have to change.
The cap on household gatherings was reduced from a maximum of 30 visitors a day to 15, effective from 11:59pm yesterday.
Children under 12 months of age aren’t counted in the 15-person cap. Neither are members of the hosting household.
Front and back yards are considered part of the home, under the restrictions.
Gatherings in outdoor public places are capped at 100 people.
Masks will need to be worn indoors.
Victorians have had to keep a face mask handy whenever they leave their homes, and have had to wear them in certain indoor settings.
The latest restrictions mean masks have to be worn indoors, unless eating or drinking.
Premier Daniel Andrews last night confirmed masks had to be worn in shops and in workplaces.
Masks still have to be worn while in a ride share or taxi, on public transport, in airports, and on domestic flights.
People also need to wear masks in hospitals and care facilities, whether working or visiting.
The state government has strongly recommended people wear face masks during visits to people’s homes.
Masks are also strongly recommended whenever it is not possible to stay 1.5 metres away from the nearest person.
People can choose not to wear a mask if they are doing strenuous physical exercise.
There are some mask exemptions for children.
Masks are not mandatory for children under the age of 12, primary school students and children in outside school hours care.
Secondary school students need to wear masks indoors.
Plans to increase caps on the number of workers able to return to offices in Victoria are on hold.
The government had been planning to allow for up to 75 per cent of workers in both the public and private sectors to return to their offices from Monday.
Those plans have been postponed.