Melbourne eases months-long lockdown restrictions

MELBOURNE: One of the world’s most locked-down cities reopen yesterday, with Melbourne residents hoping this sixth bout of stay-at-home restrictions will be their last.

Five million people in Australia’s second-biggest city have endured lockdowns totalling more than 260 days since the beginning of the pandemic.

But now that 70 per cent of eligible people in Melbourne and surrounding Victoria state are fully vaccinated, restrictions that began on Aug 5 will be li ed.

“When the clock strikes midnight tonight, the lockdown is over,” state deputy premier James Merlino said, hailing the state’s ‘extraordinary efforts’.

“I hope everyone enjoys those first reunions with their families, the first footy, netball, cricket training with the kids, the first pot and parma (beer and chicken parmesan) at the pub.”

Half a dozen lockdowns have taken their toll on the oncebuzzing city, which prided itself on a vibrant arts scene and cafe culture. In 2021, it lost the mantle of Australia’s most liveable city amid violent antilockdown protests and a small exodus of residents to Covidfree regional towns.

Authorities yesterday announced a fresh boost to mental health funding and services, in a nod to the burden placed on Melbourne residents.

Multiple studies have found elevated levels of psychological distress during the pandemic, official government research shows. While fully vaccinated Melbourne residents will enjoy increased freedoms from midnight, they cannot leave the city and retail shops must remain closed until the doubledose rate li s to 80 per cent -- likely within weeks.

Limits on patrons at cafes, bars and restaurants will remain in place, squeezing business owners who are also grappling with staff shortages caused by international border closures.

Australia’s ABC News reported on Thursday that Victoria will also li quarantine requirements for international travellers at the end of the month. Sydney and surrounding New South Wales state are also set to scrap the requirements on Nov 1.

While varying rules make it difficult to directly compare lockdowns Melbourne has spent among the most days under stay-at-home orders.

Praising the reopening as well as Australia’s soaring vaccination rates, Prime Minister Sco Morrison declared “victory is in sight” in what he described as the “ba le of our generation”.