After very uncomfortable press conferences for last three days Premier of Victoria was all smiles.
Daniel Andrews announced, “Today is good news.”
He says, Because of the efforts of every Victorian – the sacrifices and the hard slog – we can be confident that slowly, and surely, we are driving the virus into the ground.
“It hasn’t been easy or straightforward. In fact, for those Victorians who are part of our health response, it’s been bloody hard work. 3,400 close contacts identified and isolated. Thousands of hours of painstaking interviews. 212,000 tests processed. 850,000 text messages into communities.”
Premier Andrews claimed that current snap lockdown was very necessary as health professionals were fighting against a more wicked enemy than we’ve known before.
I want to thank those Victorians who’ve made it possible – and I want to thank every Victorian for their patience, said Mr. Andrews.
He thanked the people of victoria for their resilience.
“Because of you, we’ve been able to track, trace and corner this mutant and more infectious strain of the virus. It also means we’re able to ease most of the restrictions, getting us back to our COVIDSafe Summer.”
From 11:59 pm tonight (Wednesday 17-02-2021), Victoria will largely return to the previous rules – while keeping a watchful eye on some of the riskier settings.
Highlight:
- There’ll no longer be four reasons to leave home. The five-kilometer restriction will no longer apply.
- Restaurants and retail can reopen. Same too with community facilities, entertainment venues, and all other public places – although some additional limits on crowd sizes will be in place.
- Students will be able to head back to school. Workers will be able to get back to work.
- For offices – both public and private – that means a return to 50 percent on-site.
So for now, it’s important to reduce the risk in some of our most vulnerable settings.
That means having no more than five visitors to your home per day. And limiting public gatherings with friends and family to 20.
Premier has cautioned that by sticking to the rules and being conscious of who we see and how often we see them, we’ll help keep our friends and families safe.
He explained that the danger of spread is not fully gone, “We can’t fully relax the rules in our hospitals and aged care homes yet either – instead, we’ll limit visits to one household per day and some specific exceptions.”
Masks will continue to be a big part of COVID19 defense and will be required everywhere indoors except at home – at the supermarket, at the office, at the pub when getting up to pay.
Masks will also be required outside if you can’t physically distance from others.
DHHS has reminded Victorians to remember primary defense against the coronavirus – checking in when we’re heading out, washing our hands, keeping our distance – will remain just as critical.
Please get tested if you have any symptom, no matter how mild.
DHHS believes, As much as far we’ve come, as much as we’ve achieved, without the full-scale rollout of the vaccine – this virus isn’t going away.
Premier Daniel Andrews concluded, “We have every reason to be proud – and every reason to stay safe.”