From the office lift, to shops and cafes and even public transport: How life in Australia after lockdown will be one LONG and frustrating queue
- Australians will have to get used to big lines for businesses and services
- PM Scott Morrison on Friday announced lockdown restrictions will ease
- The relaxed measures will kick in over three stages between now and July
- But the new freedoms will come with social distancing - and a lot of queuing
- Here’s how to help people impacted by Covid-19
Life in Australia is likely to involve a lot more lining up, with businesses initially allowed to open their doors to just 10 people at a time under eased restrictions.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison revealed details of National Cabinet's three stage plan to reopen the economy by July on Friday afternoon.
Each stage will last four weeks, with the first set of laxer rules allowing shops to open, customers to dine-in at restaurants and open houses and auctions to go ahead.
But patience is a virtue, and Australians will need plenty of it, with the new freedoms coming hand-in-hand with strict social distancing measures - and the likelihood of unprecedented queuing.
While Australia is opening up, shoppers are likely to see more scenes like this - with smaller retail outlets set to reopen and introduce social distancing measures
Gyms will reopen to 20 people at a time under 'stage two' restrictions - leaving the gymgoers will have to queue or make reservations to use workout equipment
Only ten people will be allowed in open homes and auctions at a time under the first stage of the new restrictions - meaning more scenes like this
Under the first stage of the new rules, restaurants and cafes will be allowed to seat up to 10 customers at a time, after months of takeaway only.
Each patron will be required to have four square metres of personal space, meaning some small venues won't be able to seat too many customers.
That means those seeking to celebrate the coming end of lockdown with a weekend brunch will probably have to set aside some time to line up.
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The government has instructed workplaces to get cracking on designing social distancing measures and to allow employees to work from home, if possible.
Any rush back to work could see queues for 'peak hour' office lifts, plastic shields between cubicles, the end of hotdesking and staggered start times for staff.
Commuters are likely to face lines to board their train, tram or bus home. Workers have been advised to avoid peak hour travel through each stage of the plan.
Long queues for supermarkets such Coles and Woolworths, discount variety stores such as Kmart and Big-W and warehouses like Bunnings will are set to continue.
Likewise, while smaller retail stores are encouraged to open, all will have to abide by 'COVID Safe' guidelines - that is, only allowing a safe number of people inside.
When gyms finally open back up under stage two of the measures, only 20 people will be allowed inside to work out at any one time.
Gyms will be forced to introduce booking systems or set up queues for those keen to pump some iron.
Social distancing lines for warehouses such as Bunnings and other larger retailers have become commonplace
Mind the gap: Commuters may be delayed by social distancing queues with possible limits on the number of passengers on board train carriages and bus services
Only a handful of swimmers are likely to be allowed to jump in public pools when lockdown restrictions ease
Public pools will open with specific restrictions likely to allow only a small number of swimmers per lane.
Renters and home-buyers will have to patiently wait their turn to inspect property or attend an auction, with limits of 10, then 20, then 100 people allowed inside.
And when pubs are finally allowed to open, customer restrictions are likely to come hand-in-hand with a cold beer.
Only 100 pubgoers will be allowed inside at the one time.
All of these rules are likely to differ between the states and territories and will rely on individual businesses following the rules.
The Northern Territory is already at stage one, while South Australia will move to stage one on Monday and Queensland next Friday.
Western Australia will announce its position on Sunday and New South Wales and VIctoria will reveal their plans on Monday.
The ACT will allow gatherings of 10 from Saturday and Tasmania has not announced any changes.
The path to freedom: These are the national COVID-19 guidelines for how the states will ease lockdown measures in the weeks to come. Prime Minister Scott Morrison hopes the country will reach stage three by July
The current number of coronavirus cases across Australia: 97 people have died and 6,029 patients have recovered from the deadly virus
It will be up to the states and territories to decide when beaches can reopen for sunbathing - and whether lines will be necessary. Pictured: Surfers' Paradise
The Prime Minister warned that outbreaks will happen but, in a message to state premiers who are reluctant to relax restrictions, he said: 'Outbreaks are not a reason to slow things down.'
'Outbreaks are going to happen. All Premiers and Chief Ministers understand that. And so it's how you respond to them,' he said.
'There will be risks, challenges, outbreaks and more cases, there will be setbacks. Not everything will go to plan. There will be inconsistencies. There will undoubtedly be some human error.
'But we cannot allow our fear of going backwards from stopping us from going forward.'
The Treasury estimates the relaxed measures, if introduced across the board, will bring back 850,000 jobs.
