Door is shut on high-risk Vic areas

PREMIER Peter Gutwein has announced tighter travel restrictions with Victoria, closing off Tasmania to 19 local government areas now deemed high risk.

As of 12.01am, the state has been blocked to anyone who has spent time in the Hume local government area in the past 14 days – including Tasmanians returning home.

In addition, a further 18 Victorian municipalities have also been deemed level 1, high risk – including Melbourne – meaning Tasmania will be closed to anyone who has recently been in those areas, with the exception of essential travellers.

Those areas include Banyule, Brimbank, City of Latrobe, Cardinia, Casey, Darebin, Greater Dandenong, Hobsons Bay, Maribyrnong, Melton, Mitchell, Moonee Valley, Moreland, Port Phillip, Whittlesea, Wyndham and Yarra.

Public Health director Mark Veitch said those travelling directly from Melbourne Airport were covered by a special dispensation. A home quarantine trial is available for eligible Tasmanian residents returning as essential travellers under certain conditions.

Mr Gutwein said the decision had been made because of an “alarming spike” in Covid-19 cases in Victoria, which might have been connected to the AFL grand final weekend.

He said Tasmania was still on track to be “living more openly again by Christmas”, with a goal of 90 per cent full vaccination rate by December 1.

Mr Gutwein said 76.2 per cent of over-16s had received their first vaccine dose, with 58.4 per cent fully vaccinated. He said Tasmania’s border reopening plan was expected to be announced by October 18.

Health Department secretary Kathrine Morgan-Wicks said 596,000 doses had been delivered across Tasmania, with pop-up clinics opening this weekend in places where vaccination rates were slightly lower.