‘A tough day’: Regional Victoria plunged into lockdown
Regional Victoria was plunged into lockdown at 1pm, amid growing concerns about an outbreak in Shepparton.
The same lockdown rules now apply in regional Victoria and Melbourne, with one exception — the curfew does not apply in regional Victoria.
Statewide, childcare will move to a permit system. Only the children of authorised workers, and vulnerable children, will be able to attend.
The changes come as Victoria recorded 61 local COVID-19 cases yesterday, and an additional 16 local cases in the Shepparton area were recorded through rapid PCR testing and will be included in tomorrow’s numbers.
Of the new local cases, only 22 were in isolation while infectious. 48 are linked to known outbreaks.
Of the 77 cases (yesterday’s figure and the 16 detected via rapid testing), 14 are linked to the Broadmeadows My Centre childcare cluster and 17 new cases in Shepparton.
Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton says “this a tough day for Victoria”.
It’s also now recommended that children of primary school age wear masks in indoor settings.
“If your child is able to do that, that will help to protect them and help to protect those settings where transmissions between kids occur,” Professor Sutton said.
Press PLAY below for Neil Mitchell’s summary of the changes
RULES IN REGIONAL VICTORIA FROM 1PM:
- There are only five reasons to leave home:
- Shopping for necessary goods and services
- Caregiving or compassionate reasons
- Authorised work (with a permit) or permitted education
- Exercise (once per day for 2 hours)
- To get a COVID 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
- You must stay within 5km of your home for shopping and exercise (may travel further if there are no essential shops in your 5km radius)
- Masks must be worn indoors and outdoors whenever you leave your home. Masks cannot be removed to consume alcoholic beverages
To keep Victorians safe, and on the advice of the Chief Health Officer, from 1pm today Regional Victoria will enter lockdown and additional measures will come into effect in Metro Melbourne. pic.twitter.com/YY6oeOGHYA
— Dan Andrews (@DanielAndrewsMP) August 21, 2021