Jessica Micallef
Victorians will begin a five-day stage four lockdown from 11.59pm tonight in response to the “hyper-infectious” UK variant of coronavirus.
Premier Daniel Andrews announced this afternoon that there will only be four reasons to leave your home until 11.59pm Wednesday.
Under the stage four lockdown, Victorians can only leave their home for shopping for essential items (one person per household, once a day), work and permitted education that cannot be done from home, care and caregiving, and exercise for up to two hours a day with people from your household.
You must stay within five kilometres of your home, other than for permitted work. Masks are mandatory everywhere outside your home and no visitors are allowed to anyone’s home.
Schools will close but will remain open for vulnerable children or for children of essential workers. Childcare and early childhood centres will remain open.
Public gatherings and religious gatherings and ceremonies are not permitted.
Funerals are capped to 10 people and weddings cannot go ahead unless on compassionate grounds.
Hospitality businesses will move to takeaway only.
Play centres, indoor skate parks, indoor trampoline centres, swimming pools, hairdressing and beauty and personal care services are closed.
House inspections are no longer permitted and auctions can take place online.
Premier Daniel Andrews said this was Victoria’s opportunity to “starve the virus” of movement.
He described the lockdown as a “short, sharp circuit breaker”,
“By limiting our moment, we limit the potential spread of the virus,” he said.
“Any by going hard and going early, we’re giving ourselves every opportunity to get in front of this.”
