COVIDSafe Settings

COVIDSafe Settings– restrictions apply from 11:59pm Friday 26 February 2021

Victoria returns to COVIDSafe from 11:59pm on Friday 26 February 2021.

These restrictions are designed to balance getting Victorians back to doing the things they love while also putting in place measures to protect all that Victorians have worked so hard for.

Face masks

• You must carry a face mask with you when you leave home, unless you have a lawful reason not to wear a mask.
• Face masks must be worn:
  • on public transport, in commercial passenger vehicles such as taxis and ride share vehicles, and in tour vehicles
  • indoors at markets and market stalls, shopping centres, and retail facilities with 2000 or more square metres of indoor space
  • by visitors to a hospital
  • by visitors to a care facility
  • on flights to and from Victoria
  • indoors at airports
  • if you are diagnosed with COVID-19, or a close contact of someone diagnosed with COVID-19, at all times while away from your home or accommodation for a permitted reason, such as medical care or to get tested
  • while awaiting the results of a COVID-19 test when leaving your home or accommodation for a permitted reason, such as medical care (except as part of a surveillance or other asymptomatic testing program)
  • while experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19.
• It is strongly recommended you wear a face mask when at a private gathering or when you cannot maintain 1.5 metres distance from other people, including outdoors.

Social gatherings

• You can have up to 30 visitors to your home per day. The visitor cap includes dependants but not infants under 12 months old. There is no limit on the number of households those people can come from. It is strongly recommended you host visitors in outdoor spaces wherever possible.
• Up to 100 people can meet outdoors in a public place. The cap includes dependants but not infants under 12 months old. There is no limit on the number of households those people can come from.

Travel

• Travellers to Victoria from other Australian states or territories or from New Zealand must also now apply for a Victorian Travel Permit.

Work, study and volunteering

• Office-based workplaces will be able to increase the return to onsite work with up to 75 per cent of workers onsite.
• Workplaces with 40 or more workers can have 75 per cent of workers on site at any one time.
• Workplaces with fewer than 40 workers can have up to 30 workers on site at any one time.

Hospitals and care facilities

• There are no limits on the number, duration or purpose of visits to hospitals or care facilities, except for excluded persons. Individual facilities may impose their own limits on visitation.
• Face masks must be worn by visitors to hospitals and by visitors and staff while indoors at care facilities.

Entertainment and culture

• Fixed-seated venues, such as theatres, cinemas or arenas, can open for up to 75 per cent capacity of the total venue with a maximum of 1000 patrons in each space. Density quotients apply to non-seated areas.
• Indoor non-seated venues can open for up to 50 per cent of capacity, with a maximum of 1000 patrons in each space. Density quotients also apply to non-seated areas.
• Outdoor entertainment venues can operate subject to density caps. Seated spaces in these venues are limited to the lesser of 75 per cent of seated capacity or 1000 patrons. No more than 1000 patrons are permitted in any indoor spaces.
• Venues exceeding the cap of 1000 persons per space must operate under the Public Events Framework.

Sport and exercise

• Indoor physical recreation and community sports facilities can operate subject to density caps. Seated areas are limited to 75 per cent of their seating capacity up to a maximum of 1000 patrons per space.
• Venues exceeding the cap of 1000 persons per space must operate under the Public Events Framework

Accommodation

• Private gatherings at accommodation are capped at the booking household (and the intimate partners of anyone in the booking household) plus up to 30 people from any number of households. Infants 12 months and under are excluded from booking and private gathering limits.
• There are no restrictions on different bookings sharing rooms (for example, at a hostel).

Religion and ceremony

• Weddings, funerals and religious gatherings can occur in commercial venues.
• The density and capacity limits will depend on the type of venue.
• If conducted in a private home, the private gathering limit applies (30 visitors, the celebrant and a photographer are not counted).

Record keeping

• Record keeping continues to be an important tool for helping Victoria stay safe and stay open. Businesses that are required to record the details of visitors should use electronic record keeping or QR codes. The Victorian Government has a free QR code service.

Staying COVIDSafe

Everyone wants to get back to normal but we also need to stay safe. We are asking Victorians to stay safe by getting tested and practicing COVIDSafe behaviours. This is especially important as we see friends and family, celebrate together, travel together and move around Victoria, Australia and New Zealand. Coronavirus is still present in Australia and we must all be vigilant and play our part to reduce the spread.