Restrictions are lifting across the state – here is what fully vaccinated Victorians can do from 11:59pm…

Nearly 90% of eligible Victorians have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, and things are opening up in a big way for the vaccinated community – beginning 11:59pm 18 November 2021.

It’s an exciting and hopeful time for people across the state, who have spent the better part of the last two years in and out of lockdowns. We’re excited to see how this positively impacts our clients and community, and we hope business is booming in the lead up to Christmas and the New Year!

Key changes across Victoria:

• Fully vaccinated people have no limits or caps on home visits and gatherings in cafes and restaurants.
• Masks are no longer required in all indoor spaces. They will remain mandatory in some high risk environments, including the following:
  • Primary school staff and visitors for students in Years 3-6
  • For workers serving the public at hospitality venues
  • Workers and customers at indoor retail spaces
  • Visitors and workers in hospitals and care facilities
  • People using public transport, taxis and ride-share services and on planes
  • Corrections, meat, poultry and seafood processing workplaces
• Indoor and outdoor events with less than 30,000 fully vaccinated attendees will be able to proceed with no special approval required.
  • Mask requirements, density limits and caps in place for weddings, funerals, places of worship and other settings if the vaccination status of attendees is not being checked. 
• Outdoor events with 30,000+ will need to publish a COVID-Safe Plan
• Indoor venues that can hold 30,000+ will need to get one-off approval of their COVID-Safe Plan
• Self-quarantine not automatically required for fully vaccinated people who are exposed to a positive COVID case outside of the home.
  • This will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis to avoid impact of superspreader events.
  • This means businesses won’t be required to complete mandatory deep cleaning, and the Departmental ‘clearance’ process.
  • Workers exposed at work, and children who are exposed at school or early childhood centres, will need to show a negative PCR test result to return to work or school – with recommended RAT testing thereafter.
  • COVID-Safe Plans are still required for Victorian businesses
  • Exposure sites won’t be listed online, contacts will be notified by the Health Department.
• Household contacts who have had more than four hours of contact with a case inside a household, accommodation or care setting must isolate for 7 days if fully vaccinated or 14 days if not fully vaccinated, with a PCR test required on day 0 and for release.
  • Household contacts who are children under 12 will be considered fully vaccinated if everyone else in their household aged over 12 is fully vaccinated.
• People who have COVID-19 will be required to isolate for 10 days, instead of 14 days.

Restrictions for non-vaccinated individuals:

• Mask requirements, density limits and caps in place for weddings, funerals, places of worship and other settings if the vaccination status of attendees is not being checked (ie when non-vaccinated individuals may be attending).
• Non-essential retail settings across Victoria will join the vaccinated economy and will only be open to Victorians who are fully vaccinated, under 12 years and two months, or have a valid exemption.

Click here to read the Premier’s press release announcing these changes.