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Victoria to ease coronavirus restrictions from midnight

9News.com.au logo 9News.com.au 26/02/2021 02:34:00 Chanel Zagon
Daniel Andrews wearing a suit and tie: Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said both new cases were already isolating and posed no further risk. © 9NewsVictorian Premier Daniel Andrews said both new cases were already isolating and posed no further risk.

Victoria will return to its "COVIDSafe Summer" restrictions that were in place over the Christmas period from 11.59pm today. 

The announcement comes after two new local cases were diagnosed in the last 24 hours, both connected to the state's Holiday Inn cluster.

Both cases are close contacts linked to the Coburg function outbreak.

The cases have been isolating in hotel quarantine due to their household circumstances. 

"They pose no risk to public health more broadly," Premier Daniel Andrews said.

https://twitter.com/VicGovDH/status/1365053086729834497?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

More visitors, less masks

The state's new restrictions will include 30 visitors allowed in a home, up from five.

Masks will be required only in high-risk indoor settings, such as public transport, rideshare vehicles and taxis, and large retail settings, such as shopping centres, supermarkets, department stores and indoor markets.

Up to 100 people are allowed to gather outdoors. 

https://twitter.com/DanielAndrewsMP/status/1365100784828837888?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Public and private sector workers in Victoria will be able to return to the office at a capacity of 75 per cent for the first time. 

"That is very important, in terms of retail trade, hospitality, food and beverage - that whole part of the economy," Mr Andrews said. 

The expanded capacity will help drive foot traffic back to Melbourne's CBD and in regional areas, he said.

Visitors allowed into hospitals and aged care

Restrictions on the number of visits to hospitals and aged care facilitates will also ease in the state. 

However, some individual sites may have their own rules in place, Mr Andrews said. 

The premier said the state's five-day lockdown had been "effective" in controlling the Holiday Inn outbreak. 

"That strategy worked," he said. 

"It is with confidence that we can return to the COVIDSafe Summer settings, but none of that is possible without the extraordinary efforts of every single Victorian and I'm deeply grateful to each and everyone of you." 

Only one exposure site remaining

Victoria's testing commander Jeroen Weimar said the state had delivered a "swift response" to the "significant" outbreak. 

Health authorities have managed over 3500 primary close contacts at the peak of the outbreak, with 99 per cent being contacted within the 48-hour national benchmark standard. 

The dozens of tier one exposure sites have been formally closed today as the 14-day incubation period comes to an end. 

The only exposure site still remaining is the Coles Express service station in East Bentliegh, which is marked as tier three.

Anyone who attended the site on February 18 during the specified time is asked to come forward for testing and isolate. 

"The vast majority of people are now coming off the isolation period and we are grateful for their support," Mr Weimar said. 

Before today's announcement, the state had recorded six days with no local cases of COVID-19.

More than 16,500 tests were carried out in the past 24 hours.

The 14-day incubation period for a bulk of close contacts linked to the Holiday Inn cluster ends today.

Queensland is ending its border ban to those from Greater Melbourne from 1am tomorrow.

Premier asked about vaccine rollout issues

Mr Andrews was asked about vials of the Pfizer vaccine potentially going to waste at a Werribee aged care centre.

The premier said he has seen reports, but had no details about the incident. 

The state has ticked over the 3000 mark for vaccines being delivered. "I think (Federal Health Minister) Greg Hunt is the person to talk to there," he said. 

"We are quite pleased with the start that we have made," Mr Andrews said. 

vendredi 26 février 2021 04:34:00 Categories: 9News.com.au

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