Premier Daniel Andrews is providing his daily update and outlining the roadmap towards “COVID normal”.
“We have to take a steady and safe steps out of lockdown to find that COVID normal,” Premier Daniel Andrews said on Sunday.
The current Stage 4 lockdown will be extended until September 28.
But there are some changes.
From next Sunday, the curfew will be eased and it will be expanded to 9pm, not 8pm, in recognition that the days are getting longer.
Exercise will be doubled from one hour a day to two hours a day.
Those two hours can also be used to socialise with one other person outside rather than exercise.
There will also be social bubbles for people living alone.
“The social bubbles to accommodate those who live on their own indirect response to feedback we have had from those who have been isolated away from anyone else a long period of time,” Daniel Andrews says.
We will create those social bubbles so that much like the way intimate partner arrangements will work now, singles, those who live alone, will be able to partner up with somebody else and they will be able to visit each other. The five kilometre rule will not apply the curfew will.
These rules last until September 28.
More easing from September 28
From September 28 further easing will occur, provided the average daily cases hit 30-50 cases for the prior 14 days.
At that point, public gatherings will increase to five people from two households outdoors, schools will return for prep to grade two and grades 10 to 12.
Childcare will reopen and so will more workplaces.
“Around 101,000 workers who are currently unable to attend work will be able to attend work in a number of different industries,” Daniel Andrews says.
He acknowledged that some industries will not be reopening despite wanting to, but believes the government has struck the right balance.
“It is not a perfect balance, there is no such thing, and I know they will be some industries that asked disappointed they are not on that list but whenever you draw a line, there will always be different groups on either side of it.”
Outdoor pools and outdoor personal training for two people will be allowed, as will outdoor religious gatherings with one faith leader.
Further easing from October 26
At that point, the curfew will no longer apply and there will no longer be restrictions on the distances people can travel or why.
Public gatherings will increase to 10 people outdoors and people will be able to have five visitors from the same household at their homes.
It is not yet decided whether schools will reopen for grades three to 10.
Retail and hairdressing will reopen and hospitality will reopen, but mainly only for outdoor service.
There will be a staged return of non-contact outdoor sport.
The final stage will occur on November 23
People will be allowed 20 people in their homes and all of retail will reopen.
Hospitality will also reopen but with a limit of 20 people with seated service and 50 more broadly.
Real estate will reopen with safety measures, and weddings and funerals will return to normal.
After that point, more restrictions will be dropped subject to different safety measures, including for a phased return to on-site work.
Regional Victorian to open on September 13
From that point, public gatherings will be allowed for up to five people from two households. Single parents and those living alone will also be allowed on nominated visitor into their home.
Schools will start a staged return and childcare will reopen.
Further reopening will depend on case number thresholds being met, the first of which will be when regional Victoria records under five new cases a day on average over 14 days and has zero community transmission cases for 14 days.