Victoria's tough coronavirus restrictions finally ease TODAY - here's everything you need to know
- Melbourne's curfew eases by one hour, starting at 9pm instead of 8pm to 5am
- People living alone or single parents can designate a friend to meet
- Outdoors fitness time has been extended from one hour per day to two hours
Victoria will take the first step in its road out of coronavirus lockdown today as Melbourne's tough Stage Four restrictions slightly ease.
Few changes are being made, but a small amount of extra social interaction will be allowed along with more time outside - bringing some relief to a city that has been under tough Stage Four lockdown since Sunday, August 2.
Under the new rules, two people or a household can meet outdoors to exercise or socialise for two hours, instead of just one hour - but they must still remain within 5km of their home.
Pictured: two women walking at Albert Park Lake on Wednesday. Melbourne residents who live alone will be able to designate one person to be their 'single social bubble' friend to meet
The 14-day rolling average of new daily cases has been falling rapidly to reach 56.9 on Sunday. Step Two easings will be triggered when new daily cases hit between 30 and 50 per day for 14 days, the Victorian Government says on it's website.
The outdoors time can only be split into a maximum of two sessions.
People living alone and single parents will now be able to designate one friend to visit, who can also visit them in what has been termed a 'single social bubble'.
If the person you choose lives with other people, then you can only visit them when they are alone.
Pictured: a usually busy Hosier Lane is seen completely empty on Thursday night in Melbourne's CBD. Melbourne's Stage Four lockdown is the strictest in the nation
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The 5km limit does not apply to the single social bubble however those in Metropolitan Melbourne cannot nominate someone living in regional Victoria, which is under Stage Three restrictions.
No permit or proof is required for the single social bubble, the Victorian Government is relying on a trust system, asking people to do the right thing so the state can crush the virus and return to normal as soon as possible.
Melbourne's curfew remains but has been reduced by an hour, starting from 9pm to 5am instead of from 8pm.
Outdoor playgrounds will also open and physical distancing limits will apply, however skate parks and sporting facilities remain closed.
Other than these changes, the existing Stage Four restrictions apply in Melbourne and Stage Three in regional Victoria.
Progress to more relaxation under Step Two will depend on improvement in the 14-day rolling average of new case numbers.
Step Two will be triggered when new daily cases hit between 30 and 50 per day for 14 days, the Victorian Government says on it's website.
The Victorian Government is aiming at September 28 as the date for Step Two which will allow more than 100,000 workers to go back to work in construction, manufacturing, and maintenance workers.
The rolling average has been falling dramatically reaching 56.9 on Sunday from 120.8 two weeks previously.
Victoria recorded 41 new coronavirus cases on Sunday bringing the state's total to 19,835 with 723 deaths, the DHHS said in an emailed release.
There are 1,157 active cases of which 116 are in hospital and 11 in intensive care.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said the number of 'mystery' cases, where the source of community transmission cannot be traced, had fallen by 11 since yesterday, however he has extended the State of Emergency and the State of Disaster for another four weeks.
Victoria's State of Disaster came into operation on Sunday, August 2, alongside the Stage Four restrictions.
The State of Emergency was already in force at the time, and the two declarations have operated together.
The State of Emergency is what allows the Victorian government to make emergency coronavirus rules such as making face masks mandatory, introducing covid-safe work plans and requiring people to isolate in quarantine.
Pictured: people exercising at Albert Park Lake, Melbourne, on Friday. Step One easing means outdoors time has been increased from one hour to two hours daily
The State of Disaster gives the police special powers to enforce them.
Mr Andrews said the two declarations underpin the emergency coronavirus rules.
'It underpins taking those safe and steady steps,' he told reporters on Sunday.
The State of Emergency and State of Disaster are now scheduled to end just before midnight on October 11.
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