Victoria “so close” to big step towards COVID Normal, Andrews says

THE decline of coronavirus cases has meant metropolitan Melbourne has now taken the Second Step on the state government’s coronavirus roadmap, moving the entire state closer to an even bigger easing of restrictions.
Regional Victoria is in the Third Step, and under the revised roadmap, Melbourne will not be able to move to the Third Step for at least three weeks.
The Third Step will also only come into effect in Melbourne when, over the previous 14 days, the daily average number of cases is less than five statewide and there are less than five cases with an unknown source.
The trigger point for the statewide Last Step, which will allow up to 20 visitors in the home and a staged return to events with seated spectators, will apply when there are no new cases for 14 days.
Speaking on Monday this week, when only five cases were recorded in the previous 24 hours, Premier Daniel Andrews said the numbers were “proof positive the strategy was working”.
“We’ve come a long way. Victorians have given a lot. They have sacrificed a lot. And I am proud and deeply grateful for the work that every single Victorian is doing in partnership with me and a massive team of dedicated workers.
“We are so close. We are so close to being able to take a really big step. A big step towards that COVID Normal (the final phase of the roadmap).
“That’s not to say that on October 18 or 19 we can go back to normal, as if it was any October.
“It’s a COVID Normal we have to find and I’m very confident that we are making very steady and safe progress towards that goal.
“That gives us a summer that is so, so different to just about all of 2020, and that’s something that we’re all aiming towards.”