Regional Victoria Lockdown Ending

Some welcome news for our members and their families in regional Victoria. The Victorian Premier has announced today that the current lockdown for regional Victoria (except for Shepparton, sorry!) will end on Thursday 9 September at 11:59pm. 

For regional Victoria some key changes include:

• The five reasons to leave home will no longer apply.
• 5km limit will cease.
• Regional Victorian’s may travel across regional Victoria but to metropolitan Melbourne (unless for allowed specified purpose).
• Private gatherings such as home visits are not allowed except for intimate partner visits / single person bubbles. Public gatherings of up to up to 10 people are allowed.

• Regional schools will reopen for onsite learning for Prep to Grade 2 and Year 12 students who live in regional Victoria, while remote learning will remain for all other levels. Onsite supervision at schools remains available for vulnerable children and children of essential workers in all year levels, including for students from metropolitan Melbourne.

• Face masks must be carried at all times and worn indoors and outdoors - except in own home, for a child of 12 years or under, when visiting intimate partner, or in circumstances where an individual has an exemption).
• Most businesses and venues will be able to re-open with density limits. The authorised worker list and work permit will no longer apply for regional Victoria. Working from home is still encouraged wherever possible. Office settings have a 25% capacity restriction and capacity caps. Whilst telehealth is still encouraged, the current advice we have received is that the restrictions on in-person appointments for urgent care only will no longer apply when the lockdown ends. Masks will continue to be required indoors and outdoors, unless for valid exceptions.

The lockdown has not been lifted for residents within Greater Shepparton due to the ongoing containment efforts of the outbreak in this area. The Premier is hoping to be able to lift the Shepparton lockdown next week.

Further information is available on the Vic Government website.

To all our members and their families still in lockdown, we will get through this as a community. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you need support. The AAPi Member Community Forum is a good place to connect and support each other.