Household visitors allowed and hospitality venue caps increase from tomorrow

LIMITED household visits will be allowed and hospitality venues will be able to host as many as 110 patrons from tomorrow in the latest easing of coronavirurs restrictions in regional Victoria.

Premier Daniel Andrews announced the changes – part of the Third Step on the state’s coronavirus roadmap – at a press conference this morning.

As of 11.59pm tonight, these new rules will apply in regional Victoria:

• Once per day, people will be able to host two adults and their dependents (from the same household) at their home
• Hospitality venues can increase their capacity to 70 people outside and 40 people inside (up from 20 inside and 50 outside)
• Outdoor religious gatherings will increase to 20 people
• Indoor pools will open for people 18 and under to a maximum of 20 people. One-on-one hydrotherapy with health professionals will also be allowed
• Libraries and toy libraries will reopen to a maximum of 20 people
• Households will now be able to visit a care facility, rather than one person visiting at a time.

There will be further changes that will come into effect in two weeks. From 11.59pm on November 1, non-contact indoor recreation (such as dance classes) will be allowed for people under 18.

If you live in Melbourne and have property in regional Victoria, you can travel to it to make it ready for flood and fire from Wednesday, October 21. People must obtain a fire prevention notice from the relevant local council, and the Melbourne restrictions will travel with them.

“It is not an invitation for people to use this as an opportunity to visit regional Victoria,” Mr Andrews said.

He said the “ring of steel” around Melbourne would remain in place, with more checkpoints and more cars to be checked.

Mr Andrews also announced several changes to the restrictions for people in metropolitan Melbourne from 11.59pm tonight. They include:

• There will be no time limit on leaving your home for exercise or socialising
• The travel distance from your home will move from 5km to 25km
• Outdoor gatherings will increase to 10 people from two households
• The following settings will be open, subject to COVID-safe conditions: Tennis, skate parks, golf courses. Hairdressers will reopen
• Real estate auctions will occur with a maximum of 10 people and commercial real estate inspections can occur
• Outdoor pools can host 30 swimmers. Indoor pools can open up for one-on-one hydrotherapy with a health professional
• The following will be allowed, subject to conditions: non-essential outdoor home maintenance, repairs, renovations and house painting with a maximum of five workers
• Solo or automated car washing and pool cleaning, mobile or home business pet grooming, and outdoor photography will be allowed, and there will be a full return of allied health services.

For the latest updates, head to dhhs.vic.gov.au/coronavirus.