As Victoria today marks its 38th consecutive day with no new cases of COVID-19, the state’s Premier Daniel Andrews has outlined what Victorians will be able to do as part of a COVIDSafe Summer.
The Premier said that until a widely distributed vaccine is in place some aspects of these rules and regulations “must continue to be part of our reality”.
The changes will be in place until at least the end of January which, the Premier said, will give Victorians “a bit more certainty about what the next couple of months will look like”.
In outlining the new restrictions for Victorian venue, Andrews said: “Density limits in our pubs, restaurants and cafes will shift to one person per two square metres for both indoors and outdoors with no other cap. The use of electronic record keeping — a QR code — will be mandatory.
“And for small operations, there’ll be no density limits if the patron number is under 25.
“The cap for funerals and weddings will also be removed, subject to a new density limit of one person per two square metres. For those who want to dance on their special day — or maybe even the Nutbush — dancefloors will be able to host up to 50 people, with a density of one person per four square metres.
“The same rules will apply to nightclubs. But remember, the health advice still stands: no hugs, no handshakes and if you’re feeling sick, you need to get tested and stay home.”
He added: “The same new density limits will apply for community facilities, like our libraries, RSLs, and community halls.
“As always, this won’t be everything for everyone. But these are the careful steps we can take as we continue to protect our state and everything we’ve built.
“Victoria, enjoy your summer. You’ve earned it.”
Record keeping continues to be an important tool for helping Victoria to stay safe and stay open. Businesses that are required to record the details of visitors should use electronic record keeping or QR codes. The Victorian Government has a free QR code service.
The move comes as the recently announced restriction easings for New South Wales come into place today.
All venues across New South Wales will be allowed to host one person per two square metres both indoors and outdoors, with no cap on numbers, which will help thousands of people get back into work.