Announced only three hours before the latest lockdown rules were set to come into effect at 8pm on 5 August, Victoria’s Acting Chief Health Officer announced stay at home restrictions would once again take effect.

The latest lockdown was initially planned to last for seven days, concluding at 8pm on August 12, however with confirmed cases of COVID-19 continuing to be announced each day, Premier Daniel Andrews announced on 11 August the lockdown would be extended by another seven days. Restrictions in metropolitan Melbourne will now remain in place until at least 11:59pm on 19 August.

On 9 August, Premier Daniel Andrews announced that Regional Victoria would be released from lockdown from 11.59pm as the new cases were all located in Metropolitan Victoria.

“No Victorian wants to be in this position. We know that the Delta variant moves faster than anything our public health experts have seen before – and we know what we need to do to drive it down once again,” said Premier Daniel Andrews in a statement.  

In recognition of the toll Lockdown Six has had – and will continue to have – on Victorian businesses and workers, on 6 August, the Victorian and Federal Governments announced a $400 million package to support those impacted by the latest snap lockdown. 

"The business community is focused on getting vaccination rates up to the levels we need to avoid lockdowns and restrictions as quickly as possible and stands ready to assist in any way we can. We can’t keep shutting and disrupting business and expect them to all survive,” said Victorian Chamber Chief Executive Paul Guerra. 

Once again, Victorians are only allowed to leave home for one of the five following reasons:  

• To get food and supplies 
• Exercise (for up to two hours) 
• Care or caregiving 
• Authorised work or education if you cannot do it from home 
• To get a COVID-19 vaccination 

All shopping and exercise must be done within five kilometers of home or the nearest location. 

Businesses not considered ‘essential services’ such as pharmacies, supermarkets and bottle shops will be required to close their doors to the public once again, decimating weekend bookings and trade for cafes, bars and restaurants. Schools will also resume remote learning from 6 August, as higher education students will also return to remote learning. 

Private gatherings are not permitted except for an intimate partner or nominated person visits. Public gatherings are also not permitted. 

Regional Victoria

From 11:59pm on 9 August, the ‘five reasons to leave the home’ rules will be removed in Regional Victoria with no limit on travel distance from home. Residents of Regional Victoria will only be able to travel to Melbourne for a permitted reason. 

Despite the eased restrictions, private gatherings in homes are still not permitted, however, outdoor gatherings in public spaces are allowed (up to 10 people). Face masks will continue to be mandatory in all indoor and outdoor settings outside of the home. 

Food and hospitality will once again be open for seated service only, with a density requirement of one person per four square meters. Retail businesses can also reopen their doors as personal services such as beauty and tattooing can resume operations. 

Businesses that are now open in Regional Victoria must check the IDs of everyone they serve to ensure they do not serve residents of Metroplitan Melbourne who have broken lockdown restrictions. 

Entertainment venues are allowed to have up to 300 people per outdoor space, with a density requirement of one person per four square meters and a cap of 100 people per space indoors.  

All entertainment facilities are required to have a COVID Check-in Marshal to monitor patrons checking-in with the Service Victoria app. 

Help and support   

For more information about what requirements are in place and what resources are available for your business, visit the Victorian Chamber’s COVID-19 resources page here.   

As always, the most up-to-date information about restrictions is available on the Victoria Government’s Coronavirus (COVID-19) website. For information about how restrictions affect your business, visit the Business Victoria website.  

If you, as an employer or an employer’s representative feel unsure about what COVIDSafe plans your organisation has in place or would like help in putting a plan in place, please do not hesitate to contact the Victorian Chamber’s Health, Safety and Wellbeing (HSW) team on 03 8662 5196.  

Members can also call our Workplace Relations Advice Line on 03 8662 5222 to discuss their employment obligations and any issues that arise.