Victoria has announced an easing of restrictions in Melbourne from Friday following its 14 day “circuit-breaker” lockdown.
The following rules apply before and after 11.59pm Thursday 10 June in greater Melbourne and regional Victoria.
When can I leave my house?
People in regional Victoria can leave home for any reason. People in Melbourne can leave home for any reason from 11.59pm Thursday 10 June.
Until then, if you live in Melbourne, you cannot leave your home unless it is for one of five approved reasons.
The reasons are: shopping; authorised work or education; exercise; caregiving, compassionate and medical reasons; and to get vaccinated.
Those first four reasons are the same as previous lockdowns, and the fifth reason – to get vaccinated – is new.
A number of jobs have also been added to the authorised worker list, including landscaping and installing solar panels.
How far can I travel from home?
People in Melbourne must stay within a 10km radius of home for shopping and exercise until 11.59pm Thursday 10 June. After that, the distance extends to 25km.
The only reasons to go further than 25 km will be work, education, care and caregiving, and getting vaccinated. And travel into regional Victoria to visit family and friends or take a holiday still remains a no go – for now.
Regional Victorians have no restrictions on how far they can travel within regional Victoria.
What are the rules for exercise?
There is a two-hour limit on exercise, it can only be with one other person and you must stay within a 10km radius of your home until 11.59pm Thursday 10 June. After that, there is no time limit on exercise and the distance from home will extend to 25km.
There are no restrictions on exercise in regional Victoria.
What are the rules for wearing face masks?
Masks must be worn everywhere except for in your home until 11.59pm Thursday 10 June. This includes both indoor places and outdoor areas – unless you have a medical exemption.
After that, and in regional Victoria, the same rules apply, except you do not have to wear your mask outdoors unless 1.5m of physical distancing cannot be maintained.
Can I have visitors to my house?
No visitors are allowed to your home, other than an intimate partner. People who live alone will be able to form a “single bubble”. If you live alone, you can make a bubble with another person, who can visit you.
The same rule applies for both Melbourne and regional Victoria until 11.59pm Thursday 10 June. After that, people in regional Victoria will be allowed to have two visitors and their dependants – once per day.
Can I travel interstate?
Each state and territory is updating guidance on travel rules individually:
What about public gatherings?
Public gatherings are not allowed in Melbourne until 11.59pm Thursday 10 June.. After that outdoor gatherings will be increased to a maximum of 10 people.
In regional Victoria, up to 10 people can hold public gatherings until 11.59pm Thursday 10 June. After that, the maximum will be 20 people.
What is happening with schools?
Schools in Melbourne will be able to resume face-to-face learning for all students from Friday.
Until then, only students in years 10, 11 and 12 and starting units three and four of the VCE are allowed back.
Onsite learning is also allowed for vulnerable children or children of authorised workers.
Childcare, early learning centres and kindergartens are still open.
In regional Victoria face-to-face learning has already returned for all year levels.
Can I dine in at a restaurant or cafe?
Restaurants, cafes and pubs will be open for takeaway only in Melbourne until 11.59pm Thursday 10 June.
After that cafes, restaurants and pubs will open – with strict safety measures like density limits, seated service and QR codes in place.
In regional Victoria, it is open for seated service only, with a maximum patron cap of 50 people, group sizes of a maximum of 10 people and density of one person per four square metres.
Are the shops open?
In Melbourne, essential retail, such as supermarkets, petrol, pharmacies, bottle shops and banks, will be open. But other shops will be open only for click and collect until 11.59pm Thursday 10 June. After that, remaining retail will open.
In regional Victoria, retail can open with a density of one person per four square metres.
Across Victoria all venues are now required to make people sign in to the Service Vic QR code app.
What about weddings, funerals and religious services?
In Melbourne, only 10 people will be allowed to attend funerals in person until 11.59pm Thursday 10 June. No weddings are allowed unless for end-of-life or deportation reasons. No religious activities are allowed in-person beyond five people.
From Friday, weddings will be limited to 10 people, and funerals no more than 50. Fifty will also be the limit on religious gatherings.
In regional Victoria, weddings can have 10 people. Funerals can have no more than 50 people, but children under 12 months do not count in this cap.
What about aged care and hospitals?
Across Victoria, no visitors are allowed at aged care facilities except for limited reasons. There will be no visitors to hospitals allowed except for end of life, if you’re a partner during the birth of your child, or a parent accompanying a child.
Can I go and get vaccinated?
Getting vaccinated is one of the reasons people who are eligible to receive the jab can leave home. The Victorian government has expanded the eligibility to include those aged between 40-49 for state-operated vaccination sites. People in this category can now call the hotline on 1800 675 398 to book an appointment.
What about heading back to the office?
In Melbourne if people can work from home they must work from home.
In regional Victoria, if people can work from home they must work from home, but workplaces can have up to 50% of staff in the office, or maximum 20 people, whichever is greater.
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Due to the unprecedented and ongoing nature of the coronavirus outbreak, this article is regularly updated to ensure it reflects the current situation at the date of publication. Any significant corrections made to this or previous versions of the article will continue to be footnoted in line with Guardian editorial policy.