STATE OF DISASTER
VICTORIA GOES INTO LOCKDOWN
VICTORIA is facing the biggest challenge of its history to overcome its second wave of COVID-19 and avoid another six months of lockdowns.
Melbourne has been placed under curfew for the first time since World War II, while regional Victoria faces new restrictions in an attempt to avoid a state-wide disaster.
Sweeping stage four coronavirus restrictions enacted from 6pm on Sunday have confined residents to within 5km of homes and allowed out for only one hour of exercise a day for the next six weeks.
The strongest restrictions faced by Australians in modern times come after Victoria recorded another 671 COVID-19 cases and seven deaths on Sunday.
Six of the latest deaths were aged care home residents, raising Victoria’s COVID-19 toll to 123.
Amid the likelihood defence force personnel will join Victoria Police to enforce lockdowns on Melbourne’s streets, Premier Daniel Andrews warned the unprecedented measures were the only chance of avoiding the need for lesser restrictions until the end of the year. “It is not an opportunity to live our lives as if this pandemic was not real, was not here, and was not literally the biggest challenge we have perhaps ever faced,” Mr Andrews said.
“We can no longer have people visiting others. We can no longer have people simply out and about for no good reason whatsoever.
“This cannot be more serious. If we don’t make these changes, then we are not going to get through this.
“The times for warnings and cautions, that’s over.”
After announcing limits on how Victorians can live their lives, Mr Andrews foreshadowed announcements on Monday that will restrict how they work.
But with “mystery” community transmissions growing, the Premier warned the only other option was to tolerate hundreds of cases a day until Christmas.
“Six weeks verses a much, much slower strategy that takes up to six months – I am not prepared to accept that,” Mr Andrews said.
“I am not prepared to accept days and days and days of hundreds of cases and more and more deaths.
“We have avoided the worst case scenario and now we have to get to a COVID normal and we have to get there as quick as we possibly can.”
Until September 13, Melbourne residents will not be allowed out of their homes between 8pm and 5am unless they are giving or receiving care, or travelling to and from work. Exemptions will also be made for visiting “intimate” partners.
Only one person per household is allowed out to shop for food and necessary supplies once each day and they must remain within 5km of their home.
Exercise is also limited to one hour a day within 5km of home and cannot be undertaken in groups larger than two, unless with children requiring supervision.
Although residents are also allowed out for smaller
SIX WEEKS VERSES A MUCH, MUCH SLOWER STRATEGY THAT TAKES UP TO SIX MONTHS – I AM NOT PREPARED TO ACCEPT THAT
PREMIER DANIEL ANDREWS
trips such as takeaway coffees or to get their children outdoors, they have been ordered to combine them with their grocery or exercise trips.
All students at all schools across the state will also have to move to home learning from Wednesday.
With more than 760 “mystery” cases of community COVID-19 transmission, Victoria’s Chief Health Officer Professor Brett Sutton said the state would have suffered more than 500 cases a day for many months if “shock and awe” social restrictions were not stepped up.