Australia’s Victoria To Enter Seven Day Lockdown Amid COVID Spike

Australia’s second-most populous state Victoria has plunged into a seven-day snap lockdown. This is due to the rapidly-growing COVID-19 cluster. Acting Premier James Merlino announced the “circuit-breaker” lockdown.  The state’s fourth lockdown will remain in place until 11.59 pm on June 3.

The state’s Acting Premier James Merlino told reporters in Melbourne on Thursday. The number of cases within the community spread had doubled in the past day to 26, he said. However, he added that the government was still open to ending the lockdown earlier if we can end it sooner.

Merlino said, “This strain of the virus is highly infectious. Our public health experts’ primary concern is how fast this variant is moving. We’ve seen overseas how difficult that movement can be to control.”

From 11.59 pm tonight, Victorians will only have five reasons to leave home:

The five essential reasons are:

• Shopping for essential goods or services;
• Work or study if you can’t from home;
• To get vaccinated;
• Seeking or giving care; and
• For exercise for two hours per day with one other person

Here are some of the new restrictions imposed:

• A five-kilometre travel radius will also be introduced.
• Shopping will be limited to one person per day, per household.
• Daily exercise has a limit of two hours with one other person.
• Face masks will be required to be worn inside and outdoors everywhere.
• Weddings will not be allowed to go ahead and funerals are capped at ten people.
• Childcare and kindergarten will remain open, but schools will close to everyone except the children of authorized workers and vulnerable kids.
• Private and public gatherings will not be permitted, although single bubbles and intimate partner visits will be allowed.
• Cafes and restaurants will be takeaway only.
• Gyms, hairdressers, community facilities and entertainment venues will all close.

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