New changes have been introduced to slow the spread of COVID-19 by reducing the number of people leaving their homes and moving around Victoria.
This means that you cannot leave your home unless you are doing it for one of the five following reasons:
- shopping for necessary goods and services
- care and caregiving
- exercise
- authorised work and permitted study
- to get a COVID-19 vaccination
Victorians may also leave home to visit their intimate partner, their single social bubble buddy, or in an emergency – including those at risk of family violence.
- As of 11:59pm Thursday 27 May, you will be required to remain wherever you stay that night. There will be exemptions for some situations, including authorised work, medical care and compassionate reasons.
- You must stay within 5km of your home for shopping and exercise. This limit does not apply to authorised work, when giving or receiving care, getting a COVID-19 vaccination or visiting an intimate partner or your single social bubble buddy.
- Face masks must be worn indoors and outdoors whenever you leave your home. Face masks do not need to be worn indoors or outdoors if you are working alone.
- You can leave your home in an emergency or if there is family violence. These actions will protect our loved ones, friends, colleagues, health care workers and the community.
This means that you cannot leave your home unless you are doing it for one of the five following reasons:
- shopping for necessary goods and services
- care and caregiving
- exercise
- authorised work and permitted study
- to get a COVID-19 vaccination
Necessary goods and services:
- Necessary goods and services include supermarkets, pharmacies, butchers, bottle shops, petrol stations, post offices, banks, food stores, newsagents, liquor stores, and pet stores. Supermarkets will continue to stay open to allow people to buy food, so there is no need to stock up on groceries. Other retail shops will only be available for delivery or contactless click and collect, and workers may attend onsite to facilitate these orders.
- Cafes and restaurants will only be able to offer take-away and delivery services.
- You can only travel up to 5km from your home for shopping and exercising. You should stay as close to your home as possible, for example, shopping at the nearest supermarket.
- For some people, the nearest essential goods and services will be more than 5km away. In this situation, you may travel beyond 5km to the nearest provider.
- A person is permitted to drive a person with whom they reside, if it is not otherwise practical for that person to drive themselves and they are leaving the house for a permitted reason.
- Only one person per household can leave home to get necessary goods and services. They can leave once a day, which means people can’t make multiple shopping trips. You should limit the time you spend away from home. If you are unable to leave a child, children or a person in your care unattended, they may accompany you. You may accompany someone to shop for support, if necessary, for example, an elderly relative.
- If you are taking a child, children or a person in your care with you when you shop you should not leave them in the car unattended while you shop. Leaving children unaccompanied in a vehicle is an offence in Victoria.
- Hotel and accommodation providers will be able to stay open to support guests already staying onsite. No new bookings can be made, unless for a permitted reason – for example someone who requires accommodation as an authorised worker.
- If you are not at your principal place of residence at 11:59pm Thursday 27 May, you must stay where you are for the duration of the circuit breaker period unless the place where you are staying becomes unavailable.
- Funerals will be able to go ahead indoors and outdoors with up to ten people, plus those required to conduct the funeral. Weddings will need to be postponed, except in exceptional circumstances.
Social interaction (single social bubble)
- If you live alone or are a single parent you can create a ‘single social bubble’ by nominating one other person to be a part of your bubble.
- You can have the person you form a bubble with visit your home.
- Your nominated person can be from a household or share house, and you are also able to visit them in their home, but only when they are alone. If you and / or your single social buddy are single parents, your children can be a part of your bubble.
Exercise: You can leave home to exercise, but there are limits:
- You must not travel more than 5km from where you live to exercise. You must limit your outdoor exercise to no more than 2 hours per day.
- Gyms, pools, community centres, entertainment venues and libraries will all be closed.
- You can exercise with the members of your household or one other friend or family member as long as you both do not travel more than 5km.
- Please use common sense and limit the number of people you see in person right now. It is safer to connect with friends and family using phone calls, social media and video calls.
- If you are exercising with someone else, you should keep at least 1.5 metres distance between you. Don’t hug, kiss or shake hands.
- If you are a parent or guardian who is caring for a child or someone who cannot be left unattended, then they may go with you.
- Recreational activities that require the use of a facility will not be allowed. Facilities such as tennis clubs, bowls clubs, shooting ranges and golf clubs will close.
- Outdoor activities that can be undertaken without accessing a facility, such as hunting, are permitted within the 5km and 2 hour limits.
Health care:
- You can leave home to receive health care or attend medical appointments (including COVID-19 vaccination appointments).
- If you need to see a doctor or health care professional, you should do so. Do not put off getting medical care. Your doctor or health care professional can provide advice on how to stay safe.
- You can leave home to care for a sick or elderly relative. If you provide care for someone, you should try to keep 1.5 metres between you when you can.
- Wear a face mask.
- You can leave home to accompany someone for essential medical treatment if you are a parent, guardian or necessary support person.
- You can take a pet to the vet.
- The 5km limit does not apply to care and health care.
Work and education:
- A list of who is considered an authorised provider or an authorised worker is available here.
- If you can work from home – you must work from home.
- The 5km limit does not apply to work.
- All schools will close, except for vulnerable children and children of authorised workers or authorised providers who are working outside of the home, who can attend for onsite supervision. Both parents or carers must be working outside of the home as authorised workers or at authorised providers to send their child to school, other than in single parent / carer households. Schools will continue to support students through remote learning or providing learning materials for use at home.
- Universities and TAFEs will close or move to remote learning.
- Childcare, family day care, early learning centres and kinders will remain open. A permit is not required.
- Victorians may work interstate (where permitted by the state you are working in)
- Removalists are authorised workers and allowed to move furniture to support people moving homes. However, friends and family are not allowed to support these activities.
- Retail goods workers supporting the operation of fulfilling online orders, click and collect or click and deliver orders can go to work.
Additionally:
- You can move homes if you are moving to a property that will be your ordinary and ongoing residence. Removalists may assist you to move, but family and friends cannot.
- You can leave home if there is an emergency.
- You can leave home if there is family violence or violence by another person in the home, and you are at risk. If you are stopped by police, tell them you are feeling unsafe at home and they will help you. Safe accommodation and support for family violence is available. Call safe steps on 1800 015 188 or email safesteps@safesteps.org.au for help 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
If you need to leave home, you must wear a face mask, unless you have a lawful reason for not doing so.
Other ways to stay safe:
- Always wash your hands before you leave, and when you return home.
- Keep at least 1.5 metres between yourself and others.
- Never, ever go out if you are unwell unless it is to get tested.
- After you get tested, you must go straight home.
- Remember that the most important thing you can do is get tested, even if you have the mildest of symptoms.
- Get vaccinated if you are eligible.
This message was issued by Department of Health.
The next update is expected by 5/06/2021 or as the situation changes.Stay informed:
- Visit the Department of Health website dedicated to coronavirus (COVID-19): www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/coronavirus.
- Call the coronavirus (COVID-19) hotline if you suspect you have coronavirus (COVID-19) on 1800 675 398.
- VicEmergency website and app.
- Department of Health Facebook and Twitter.
- VicEmergency Facebook and Twitter.
Accessibility:The following services can help you, or someone you know, access information during an emergency.
- To access this information in other languages call the Translating and Interpreting Service on 131 450 (freecall) and ask them to call the coronavirus (COVID-19) hotline.
- Translated coronavirus (COVID-19) resources are available here.
- If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech/communication impairment contact National Relay Service on 1800 555 677 and ask them to call the coronavirus (COVID-19) hotline.