By TOM GANNON
VICTORIA received more bad news today as the Premier announced lockdown will not be lifted tomorrow at midnight as had been originally hoped.
Despite the announcement, an extension date has not yet been set.
Premier Daniel Andrews made the announcement at a press conference this morning.
“We have made great progress, lock down was the right call, but we will not be ready to lift this lockdown at midnight tomorrow night,” he said.
“It will be based on the information, the results of today’s interviews, the result of today’s testing that we will make a decision.”
Victorians still only have five reasons to leave home:
Food and supplies. Authorised work. Care and caregiving. Exercise, which is permitted for two hours per day and up to five kilometres from home, and getting vaccinated.
The five km travel bubble still applies.
Schools remain closed with students continuing remote-learning.
Face masks must be worn indoors and outdoors by anyone aged 12 years and over, whenever you leave your home – unless a lawful exception applies.
However, face masks do not need to be worn indoors or outdoors if you are working alone.
The state recorded 13 new local COVID cases overnight, including one in the regional town of Mildura that was announced yesterday.
This brings the total number of cases linked to the current outbreak to 81 with close to 280 exposure sites, including several in regional Victoria.
The virus has made its way to Gippsland with two cases previously reported in Phillip Island and Cowes.
The spike in regional cases means regional Victoria’s chances of coming out of lockdown before Metro Melbourne is unlikely.
Mr Andrews backed last week’s decision to enter lockdown, telling media the situation could have been very different if the state remained open.
“Having seen what has unfolded, if we had been open we would be just like Sydney and would have hundreds of cases, we would be in a long lockdown not a short one,” he said.
“I know it is frustrating for people to listen to this and know that these restrictions cannot end at midnight tomorrow, this lockdown has been successful and it has worked.”
