Masks and density limits scrapped as Victoria enters 'Phase D'

In the ultimate end-of-week treat, Premier Dan Andrews has announced that Victoria will be rolling back almost all restrictions and moving to Phase D of the Covid-19 roadmap as of 11.59pm tonight. The state was predicted to reach the 90 per cent double-vaccinated milestone on November 24, but high vaccination rates have indicated that figure will be reached by either Saturday or Sunday this week. 

Phase D means the end of home visitor and dentistry restrictions, with masks now only required in high-risk indoor settings. “There are no more rules in terms of how many people can be in different spaces,”  says Andrews “We are one of the most vaccinated places in the world, and that means we are one of the safest places in the world.”

In addition to eased restrictions, the 90 per cent vaxxed milestone will mean no more exposure sites on the state government website. Instead, you can expect notifications through the trusty Service Victoria app in the event you’ve been to a high-risk venue. So that means scanning those QR codes is more important than ever. 

Anyone who is not fully vaccinated will still be unable to dine at restaurants or cafes or attend non-essential retail services. 

Here’s a quick breakdown of what you can do as of midnight tonight: 

No more masks

Unless in high-risk indoor settings. These include retail, public transport, ride-share and taxis, and hospitals and aged care facilities. 

No more density limits

So you can expect restaurant and beauty service bookings to (finally) get a little easier. Gyms, pools and sporting grounds are also back to normal capacities. 

Parties are back

With home visitor limits now gone, you can have as many friends over as you like. This goes for outdoor catch-ups, too. 

Vax and the City: Every public health official in Australia agrees that mass vaccination is the only way out of this crisis. We at Time Out recommend that you get vaccinated as soon as you can, if that is appropriate for your own health. Please speak to a medical professional about what is right for you. Here's what you need to know about how to get a vaccine right now.

You can find a full explainer of all things Phase D here.