Western Australia’s Premier Mark McGowan and Minister for Health Roger Cook have outlined the state’s post lockdown plan, with the lockdown set to end at 6pm tonight, pending no further local cases today.
The Perth, Peel and South-West five-day lockdown will end as planned, although the Perth and Peel regions will go into a post-lockdown transition period, designed to keep the state safe and help resume a more COVID-safe way of life. That post-lockdown transition will come into effect from 6pm tonight and will remain in place until 12.01am, Sunday 14 February, which allows the full 14-day incubation period to run its course.
The post lockdown transitional measures for the Perth and Peel regions, include:
- Everyone must continue to wear a mask in public and while at work, unless exempt or for outdoor vigorous exercise;
- All business and venues can re-open, except for the casino and nightclubs;
- 4 square metre capacity rule and 150-person capacity at hospitality, entertainment, fitness venues and events including weddings, funerals (excluding staff);
- Seated service only at hospitality venues;
- Dancing only permitted at weddings and dance studios;
- Only essential travel, including work, is permitted in and out of the Perth and Peel regions to other parts of WA.
Pre-lockdown requirements for the entire State still remain in place, and include:
- Mandatory contact registers for most WA businesses and venues;
- Capacity restrictions for major venues;
- Restrictions on travel to remote Aboriginal communities; and
- WA’s controlled interstate border arrangements.
From 6pm today the responsibility for COVID-safety will be shared, and individuals will also face penalties if they fail to scan in using either SafeWA or the contact register available.
Premier McGowan said: “Thank you to everyone for their co-operation and understanding during the lockdown.
“It’s been a simply remarkable achievement and the credit goes to each and every Western Australian who made sacrifices this week to keep the community safe and get our State back to normal as soon as possible.
“While the lockdown will end tomorrow and people in Perth, Peel and the South-West regions will be able to leave their homes, a number of restrictions will remain in place and particularly for Perth and Peel, a new transitional arrangement will be in place until next Sunday.
“As always, we’ll continue to monitor the situation closely, and if we need to make any changes, we will.
“We all need to play our part to keep WA safe. We’ve seen how unpredictable this virus is and how quickly things can change, what is best practice one day, may not be the next so we all need to listen to the instructions and comply with health advice.”
Minister Cook added: “The past week has put unprecedented pressure on our COVID-19 response systems. Our health professionals have reacted superbly.
“An overnight surge in our contact tracing team saw them swing into action to track down hundreds of close and casual contacts of Case 903.
“At the same time our testing clinics and private pathology partners handled tens of thousands of tests fast and efficiently.
“But none of this would have been possible without the spectacular co-operation of the Western Australian public.
“I thank every one of you. Let’s keep it going and continue to be vigilant. Please remember, if you are feeling at all unwell, get yourself tested.”