Melbourne readies to exit world’s longest lockdown

Millions in Melbourne are readying to come out of the world’s longest Covid-19 lockdown yesterday even as cases hover near record levels, with pubs, restaurants and cafés rushing to restock supplies before opening their doors.

Since early August, residents in Australia’s secondlargest city have been in lockdown to quell an outbreak fuelled by the highly infectious Delta strain.

Officials had promised to lift lockdowns once doubledose vaccinations for people aged above 16 exceeded 70 per cent in Victoria state, of which Melbourne is the capital. Prime Minister Scott Morrison yesterday confirmed the state had reached that target, with more restrictions set to ease as inoculations hit 80 per cent and 90 per cent.

“The longest road has been journeyed in Victoria and that long road really starts to open up tonight,” Morrison said. From 11:59pm yesterday, pubs and cafés can have 20 fully vaccinated patrons indoors and 50 outdoors, while hairdressers can allow entry for five customers. Masks will still be mandatory. By then, the city of five million would have spent a cumulative 262 days under stay-home orders since March 2020.