
- With AAP.
Victoria's compulsory face mask-wearing comes to an end.
Victorians are breathing a welcome sigh of relief, with months of compulsory face mask-wearing coming to an end as part of a further lifting of COVID-19 restrictions. It follows 23 consecutive days of no new coronavirus cases or deaths. There remains only one active case across the state.
On Sunday, Premier Daniel Andrews announced the latest round of rule changes will take effect from midnight tonight, as well as future plans for Christmas events and the return of staff to offices.
"Masks will be required inside in all settings, they will not be required while outside," he told reporters. "However you need to carry the mask with you because you will have to wear the mask outside if you can't distance."
Andrews cited queuing up for a Bunnings sausage sizzle as a crowded environment in which people must still don masks outdoors.
Just to reiterate:
— Dan Andrews (@DanielAndrewsMP) November 22, 2020
Inside Bunnings = mask
Bunnings carpark if you can keep 1.5m apart = no mask
In the Bunnings sausage sizzle line = mask
Onions = on top of the sausage
I can't be clearer than that.
Other tweaks from Monday include an allowance for 15 home visitors per day, up from two, while outdoor public gatherings can have up to 50 people.
For weddings and funerals, 150 people will be able to come together to celebrate or commiserate. The same applies to cinemas, galleries and museums.
Large restaurants, cafes and pubs will be able to host up to 150 customers, while smaller venues will be limited to 50 and must use QR code record keeping.
Andrews also outlined additional moves back to normality in coming weeks, including up to 30 home visitors per day from December 13 - just in time for Christmas.
Daniel Andrews announced on Sunday the end of mandatory mask-wearing at all times for Victorians. Image: Getty.