Social gatherings set to expand next week

Public gatherings, visitors to your home and hospitality venues are all expected to expand in numbers when COVID restrictions are eased further next week.

From midnight on Sunday night, it is expected that social gatherings will accommodate greater numbers of people as community members plan social get-togethers and Christmas gatherings.

But how Christmas will look for family gatherings in homes is not yet known.

Premier Daniel Andrews has flagged changes to come into effect on November 23.

While the government’s “roadmap to reopening” states no change to the mandatory face coverings rule, there has been some indication that masks may be reviewed for some outdoor settings.

From next week, private gatherings of up to 10 visitors at a time will be allowed to a house and public gatherings will allow up to 50 people outdoors.

Hospitality venues will be allowed to host 100 people indoors and 200 people outdoors with a maximum group size of 20 people.

Restrictions for sport and recreation will be significantly eased:

Contact or non-contact indoor sport – group or class size up to 20 people, patron cap of up to 100 people.

Outdoor sport and recreation (contact or non-contact) - patron cap of 500, group sizes align with public gathering limits of 50 people.

Indoor pools, including lessons – capped at 50 patrons. Other changes include:

100 people at weddings and funerals;

Religious gatherings will increase to groups of 20 people with total venue cap of 100 people indoors; and groups of 50 people outdoors with a cap of 500 people outdoors.

Real estate auctions – maximum of 20 people indoors depending on density quota, up to 50 people outdoors.

Cinemas – maximum of 100 people and up to 20 people in a group.