Swathe of Melbourne ordered into lockdown as virus spikes in Australia

[Shiloh]

Source: https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/corona...alia-1.5005359

Swathe of Melbourne ordered into lockdown as virus spikes in Australia
AFP
Staff
Published Tuesday, June 30, 2020 7:16AM EDT

Hundreds of thousands of people across Melbourne's north and west were ordered to stay at home Tuesday as Australia's second-biggest city struggled to contain a spike in coronavirus cases.

The southern state of Victoria has recorded 233 COVID-19 cases since Thursday -- mostly in Melbourne -- a major surge in a country that has otherwise successfully curbed the spread of the virus.

State premier Daniel Andrews said more than 30 Melbourne neighbourhoods would be subject to the lockdown from midnight local time Wednesday until July 29.

The areas covered are home to more than 300,000 people, in the city of roughly five million...

[Gert van der Hoek]

Coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions Victoria


Details on restrictions in Victoria to slow the spread of coronavirus.


A return to Stay at Home restrictions for metropolitan Melbourne and Mitchell Shire from 11:59pm on Wednesday 8 July 2020


Announcement made: 3.25pm, 7 July 2020

In line with advice from the Victorian Chief Health Officer, the Victorian Government has announced that metropolitan Melbourne and Mitchell Shire will return to Stage 3 Stay at Home restrictions from 11.59pm on Wednesday 8 July 2020.

This decision was made in response to a significant increase in community transmission of coronavirus (COVID-19) in these areas.

If you live in one of these areas, there will once again only be 4 reasons to leave home:

• Shopping for food and supplies
• Medical care and caregiving
• Exercise and recreation
• Study and work – if you can’t do it from home

The defined list of recreational activities will be made available on the Department of Health and Human Services’ website.

Additionally, there will only be 3 reasons to cross the border of these metropolitan areas:

• Shopping for food and supplies
• Medical care and caregiving
• Study and work – if you can’t do it from home

If you live outside metropolitan Melbourne and Mitchell Shire, there are only three reasons to enter: shopping for food and supplies, medical care and caregiving, and study or work – if you can’t do it from home.

That means you cannot travel in or out of these areas for exercise or recreation.

Outdoor exercise and recreation is limited to you and the members of your household, or you plus one other person if you do not live with them.

A number of businesses and facilities in metropolitan Melbourne and Mitchell Shire will be required to close, including beauty and personal care services, cultural and entertainment venues and community facilities. Cafes and restaurants will return to take-away and delivery only.

Restrictions will be in place until 11:59 on Wednesday 19 August 2020.

All Year 11 and Year 12 students in these areas will go back to school for Term 3 as planned from 13 July, along with students at special schools.

Return to school will be delayed by a week for students Prep to Year 10 in these areas, ensuring we have the most-up-to-date advice from our public health experts. Teachers in these areas will use this additional time to plan if a move to remote learning is required.

We’re asking Victorians to follow the restrictions and follow the health advice.

Stay home and stay safe. Lives are counting on it.

For more information, visit www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/coronavirus

[Shiloh]

Source: https://nationalpost.com/pmn/health-...virus-outbreak

Millions of Australians back in lockdown amid Melbourne virus outbreak
Colin Packham and Byron Kaye
Publishing date:
Jul 08, 2020 • Last Updated 32 minutes ago • 3 minute read
Article content

SYDNEY — Australia’s second largest city, Melbourne, went back into lockdown at midnight on Wednesday, forcing five million Australians to stay home for all but essential business for the next six weeks to contain a flare-up of coronavirus cases.

State police were patrolling the city and setting up checkpoints on major roads to stop people heading out to regional areas and spreading the virus from what is now Australia’s pandemic epicenter, with 860 active cases...