Festivals and full venues will return to Victoria in late November, according to an updated roadmap provided by the state government.
In a press conference yesterday (October 24), Victorian premier Daniel Andrews confirmed 80 per cent of the state’s population is expected to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by this Friday (October 29). At this point, in accordance with an updated COVID roadmap, music venues will be able to reopen for non-seated indoor entertainment subject to a density quotient of one person every four square metres.
The government also outlined how restrictions will ease once 90 per cent of the population (from the age of 12 onwards) is fully vaccinated. Once the threshold is reached – expected to be around November 24 – venues can host events at maximum capacity. Festivals can also proceed without attendee caps or density quotients.
Additionally, indoor and outdoor gathering limits will no longer apply. Masks will not need to be worn at all, except in high-risk or low-vaccinated areas such as public transport, prisons, hospitals or aged care facilities.
These freedoms, described by Andrews as the “vaccinated economy”, will only be available for fully vaccinated Victorians.
“We’ve made the vaccinated economy not only broader, but we’ve also indicated – we’ve been very clear about the fact – that it’s not changing any time soon, and it’s going to be here for 2022,” Andrews said in his press conference yesterday.
Save Our Scene, the coalition of Victorian venues pushing for greater clarity around restrictions following the 80 per cent vaccination mark, welcomed the news and thanked punters for their support.
“There is fine print, and we need to see it. But right now we just want to say thank you. Thank you for raising your voices. We love you. Today is a good day.”
Melbourne’s sixth and final lockdown ended last week, once 70 per cent of the state’s population were fully vaccinated.