By Samantha Khavin

Today, the Victorian Government announced new COVID-19 restrictions following the identification of five new community cases of coronavirus on May 24 and 25, 2021. A full public health response and extensive contact tracing is underway.

Effective from 6pm on Tuesday 25 May 2021 (until at least Friday 4 June 2021), the following restrictions will be in place throughout Greater Melbourne:

  • visitors to households will be limited to five visitors per day;
  • public gatherings will be limited to 30 people;
  • masks will be compulsory in all public indoor settings, including workplaces; Exemptions apply for children aged under 12;
  • use of the Service Victoria QR code will be mandatory when visiting venues, and all venues will be required to utilise mandatory electronic record-keeping from Friday 28 May 2021;
  • if weddings or funerals take place in a private residence, only five guests will be permitted, not including a celebrant and one photographer;
  • schools and workplaces will remain open, and, aside from mask-wearing, there are currently no changes to the present restrictions regarding sports matches, major events, bars or restaurants; and
  • residents of Greater Melbourne will still be able to travel to regional Victoria, but the restrictions of Greater Melbourne will still apply to them in any other location they visit.

The announced restrictions are considered proportional to the risk presented and are in place to reduce the risk of a super-spreading event.

The public are also advised to maintain social distancing measures, practice good hand hygiene, get tested for COVID-19 if they experience even the mildest of cold-like symptoms, and to isolate until a negative result has been received.

If you have any questions about how these restrictions may impact your workplace, please do not hesitate to contact the team at HR Assured.

For HR Assured clients, contact our 24/7 Telephone Advisory Service.

Not an HR Assured client and need some advice? The team at HR Assured can support your business on a range of workplace matters. Contact us today to arrange a confidential, no-obligation chat.

Samantha is a qualified workplace relations advisor at HR Assured. She regularly advises and supports our clients with a wide range of workplace and employment issues.