It’s ground hog day in Victoria as the premier, Daniel Andrews, has announced another lockdown after the last one lifted last Wednesday.
This time the state will be in lockdown from 8pm tonight for seven days due to Covid-19 Delta variant. This means the Victorian ski fields will again close for the week after the previous five day lockdown was extended to twelve days.
This means at least three weeks of the season will be lost to Covid statewide lockdowns after the virus shut the season down in 2020 with a four day season for Falls Creek and Hotham. Skiers have been allowed to return in the last week but had to have a negative test.
There are only five reasons to leave home: getting the food and the supplies you need, exercising for up to two hours, care or caregiving, authorised work or education if you can’t do it from home, or to get vaccinated at the nearest possible location.
Shopping and exercise must be done within 5km of your home or the nearest location. Face masks will remain mandatory indoors (not at home) and outdoors unless an exception applies – this includes all workplaces and secondary schools.
Private gatherings are not permitted except for an intimate partner or nominated person visits. Public gatherings are not permitted. Exercise is limited to two people.
Childcare and Early Childhood Care will remain open. Schools will close, with primary and secondary school students returning to remote learning – except for vulnerable children, and the children of authorised workers who can learn on site.
Where a parent or carer indicates that a student with a disability cannot learn from home due to vulnerability or family stress, the school must provide on-site learning for that student. This will apply to students enrolled in specialist schools and students with a disability enrolled in mainstream schools.
Higher education students will also return to remote learning, except for learning programs allowed on the Authorised Premises and Authorised Workers (APAW) List.
With the Wangaratta wastewater detection and the potential that regional Victorians have been exposed to COVID-19 linked to the current outbreak, restrictions will apply state-wide to keep regional Victoria safe.
For more information: www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/coronavirus
