From 11:59pm 27 September, metropolitan Melbourne has moved to the second step of easing restrictions.

• The curfew is now lifted in metropolitan Melbourne from 5am on Monday 28 September.
• There will be higher on the spot fines for breaching rules about visitors to your home and outdoor gatherings.
• The four reasons that you can leave home remain, however some changes have been made to restrictions:
  • shopping for food or other essential items
  • exercise and outdoor social activity with members of your household or up to five people (including you, and from a maximum of two households) as long as you do not travel more than 5km. This must be in a public outdoor space, and does not apply to people’s backyards or outdoor spaces connected to a home.
  • permitted work, and for the purposes of education. That includes taking children to school, childcare or outside school hours care service in which they are enrolled.
  • caregiving, for compassionate reasons or to seek medical treatment
• For secondary students, remote and flexible learning continues in the Second Step when term 4 resumes, except for Year 11-12.
• In Term 4, from 12 October, there will be a phased return for onsite learning for Prep to Grade 6, VCE (Y11-12 or those doing VCE or VCAL subjects) and special schools.
• Religious gatherings can also take place outdoors with five people plus a faith leader. You can only travel up to 5km from your home to attend a gathering and only for 2 hours.
• Private inspections for residential real estate can also resume with one client (dependants and a partner may also attend) and is limited to 15 minutes. Residents who are living in the home must not be there. The 5km rule does not apply when inspecting a house for rent or purchase. You can only leave your home for a maximum of two hours to attend the inspection and you cannot travel into regional Victoria.

Metropolitan Melbourne has moved to Second Step restrictions.

These changes have been introduced as part of easing restrictions safely and slowly in metropolitan Melbourne. You can view the roadmap to re-opening.

This means that you cannot leave your home unless you are doing it for one of the following four reasons:

Necessary goods and services:

• Necessary goods and services include the supermarket, pharmacy, petrol, post office, food stores, bottle shop or liquor store, or pet store. 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 click and collect.
• You can only travel up to 5km from your home. 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.
• You can go shopping with people from your household to get the necessary goods and services. You should limit the time you spend away from home.
• 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 offense in Victoria.

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 can also exercise within 5km of your workplace if you are a permitted worker, but you will have to carry your permitted worker permit.
• You can exercise with members of your household or up to five people outdoors (including you) as long as you do not travel more than 5km. The five people can only come from a maximum of two households. Children under 12 months not included in the cap. 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 others, you should keep at least 1.5 meters of distance between you. Don’t hug, kiss, or shake hands.
• You must limit your exercise to twice a day and for no more than two hours in total.
• A personal trainer can exercise outdoors with a maximum of two clients. Physical distancing and cleaning requirements apply.

Care, health care and childcare:

• Childcare centers can reopen to all children. A permit is no longer required. Care can be both an existing or a new arrangement.
• You can leave your home to take your children for childcare. The 5km rule does not apply.
• You can leave your home to care for children and enter another person’s home for this purpose. This applies to all children, not just those of permitted workers.
• You can leave home to receive health care or attend medical 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 are providing care for someone you should try to keep 1.5 meters between you when you can. Wear a face covering.
• 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:

• You must continue to work from home.
• All administrative functions, even in essential services, need to be undertaken remotely.
• If you are a permitted worker your employer needs to issue you with a Permitted Worker Permit so you can travel to work.
• To find out more, visit Creating a COVID Safe workplace on the Business Victoria website.
• The 5km limit does not apply to work.

Additionally:

• You can still visit an intimate partner or maintain shared parenting arrangements for children.
• If you live alone or are a single parent you can create a social bubble with one other person.
• 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 the police, tell them you are feeling unsafe at home and they will help you. Safe accommodation and support for family violence are 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 do need to leave home, you must wear a face covering, unless you have a lawful reason for not doing so. Always wash your hands before you leave and when you return home. Keep at least 1.5 meters between yourself and others.

Never, ever go out if you are unwell unless it is to get tested and then you must go straight home.

If we all do this, we can protect our loved ones, friends, colleagues, health care workers and the community.

Source:

https://www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/