Dan Andrews“Absolutely straight up…if we don’t make these...

Dan Andrews
“Absolutely straight up…if we don’t make these changes we are not going to get through this,” he said.

The new restrictions include:

• From Sunday, an 8pm-5am curfew in Melbourne. “The only reasons to leave home during these hours will be work, medical care and caregiving,” Mr Andrews said.
• People will be limited to staying within five kilometres of their home.
• Only one person, per household, per day will be allowed to go shopping.
• Exercise will be limited to a maximum of one hour per day and no more than five kilometres from your home, with a group size limited to a maximum of two – “you and one other person – whether you live with them or not.”

Victorian students are also returning to “flexible and remote learning” from Wednesday, with a pupil-free day declared for Tuesday.

Mr Andrews said the advice had been that if the government did not change tactics now or Victoria would continue to see cases growing and would need to be under the current rules until Christmas.

Instead, tougher strategy will be in place for six weeks.

“Six weeks versus a slower strategy … that takes up to six months, I’m not prepared to accept that,” Mr Andrew said.