Alyssa Fritzlaff
The Victorian Government has announced changes to pandemic orders and public health recommendations will take effect from 11:59pm Friday 25 February 2022.
From this time masks will only be required indoors in select circumstances (unless exemptions apply):
- People on public transport, in taxis and rideshare, on planes, and indoors at an airport
- People working or visiting hospitals, and indoor areas at care facilities
- Workers in hospitality, retail and the court system
- Workers at justice and correctional facilities
- Students in year 3 or above at primary school, and workers at early childhood centres and primary schools (masks can be removed in secondary school)
- People working indoors at an event with more than 30,000 people attending
- In special circumstances, such as if you have COVID-19 or are a close contact and you’re leaving home
Masks are recommended for those in close contact with members of the public, such as servers, people working at reception or greeting guests.
The remaining restrictions on elective surgery will lift on Monday February 28 2022.
“Victorians have done such a great job getting vaccinated, so we’re able to take safe steps to get more people to return to the office,” said Minister for Health Martin Foley.
“We’re balancing the need to support our health system with the benefits of easing restrictions in a careful and sensible way.”
Minister Foley, also announced several temporary vaccination exceptions and deadline extensions for workers that need to receive three doses of the COVID-19 vaccination:
- The third dose deadline for workers in education facilities who were fully vaccinated on or before October 25 will be extended by a month, provided that workers have a booking within that time – meaning all
education workers have until 25 March to be ‘up to date’ - Fully vaccinated workers who aren’t yet eligible for a third dose will have a third dose deadline of three
months and two weeks from when they had their second dose - Workers who are recent international arrivals will have a new third dose deadline of four weeks from the date of their arrival, provided they have evidence of a future vaccine booking
- Workers whose temporary medical exemption (e.g., because they had COVID-19) has expired will have a
new third dose deadline of two weeks following the expiry of the medical exemption
For more information on restrictions visit: www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au
