Covid 19 coronavirus: Melbourne lockdown will end on October 28

Victorian Prime Minister Daniel Andrews has announced that “now is the time to open up”, and the lockdown will finally come to an end in Melbourne at midnight tomorrow.

In a statement, Andrews confirmed the long-awaited news, with Melbourne set to move on to its Third Step.

“Under Step Three, and starting at 11:59 pm tomorrow, Melbourne will go from ‘staying home’ to ‘staying safe’, with no further restrictions on the reasons for leaving home,” said the Premier.

However, the 25km limit will remain, as will the border between the Victoria region and the Melbourne metropolitan area.

“Fundamentally, this belongs to all Victorians, to all Victorians who played by the rules, stayed the course, worked with me and my team to end this second wave,” Andrews told reporters.

Starting tomorrow, cafes and restaurants will reopen, as will all commercial, beauty and personal services.

Andrews also announced effective November 8 that more changes are coming, including lifting the 25km travel limit and the border between the Victoria region and the Melbourne metropolitan area.

On Monday, Victoria had no new Covid-19 cases or deaths for the first time since June.

What will change as of 11:59 pm tomorrow night in Melbourne?

• All retailers will open

• The restaurants, cafes and bars will reopen with 50 people authorized to dine outdoors and 20 indoors.

• Beauty, personal services and tattoos – as long as Melbourne residents wear a mask – will reopen

• Community outdoor sports for under 18s and non-contact outdoor sports for adults will resume

• Four reasons to leave home will be eliminated

• Outdoor meetings are held to a maximum of 10 people

• Weddings will increase to a maximum of 10 people

• Funerals will be increased to a maximum of 20 mourners.

• Inside religious gatherings will have a maximum of 10 people inside plus a religious leader, and outside a maximum of 20 people plus a religious leader.

What will change from 11:59 pm on Sunday, November 8 in Melbourne?

• The 25 km travel limit will be eliminated

• The border between the Victoria region and the Melbourne metropolitan area will be removed and “the state will become one again”

• Gymnasiums and fitness studios will open in Melbourne with a maximum of 20 people per space, one person for every eight square meters

• Restaurants, cafes and bars will accommodate a maximum of 70 people outdoors (one person for every 2m2) and 40 people indoors (10 people per space)

• Religious gatherings will increase to 50 people outdoors and 20 people indoors.
• Funerals will be moved indoors with a maximum of 20 mourners and outdoors with a maximum of 50 mourners.

• Indoor community sport, contactless sport for 18 can be restarted