Victoria's five-day "circuit breaker" lockdown will end, on schedule, at 11.59pm on Wednesday night.
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Premier Daniel Andrews made the announcement at a press briefing on Wednesday morning.
The state was plunged in to the "circuit breaker" lockdown on Friday as positive cases in the Holiday Inn cluster grew. Currently 19 coroavirus cases are linked to the cluster.
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Mr Andrews said while the lockdown would end, the state would not return to the same restrictions it had prior to the "circuit breaker".
Restrictions change for next nine days at least
During his press briefing this morning, Mr Andrews said coronavirus restrictions would tighten for the next nine days at least.
"There are still nine days to go for the 14-day period of the last of the positive cases," he said. "By next Friday (February 26) we will be able to be more definite of the epidemiological picture across the state.
"While we can revert to almost the all settings we had in place last Friday, there are some exceptions.
"From 11.59pm tonight, the four reasons to leave home fall away as does the limit on travel. Masks required indoor and outdoors when you cannot socially distance. Mask compliance has been exemplary and it is an ongoing insurance policy.
"No enjoys wearing them and they are inconvenient but that inconvenience is nothing compared to lengthy lockdowns."
Other restriction changes include no more than five people able to visit a home, public gatherings limited to 20 people and workplaces able to welcome 50 per cent of their staff on site. The five-kilometre restriction no longer applies.
"As we've seen in recent days, this virus is very good at finding our weak spot," Mr Andrews said. "Getting us when we're relaxed and comfortable and with the people we love.
"So for now, it's important we reduce the risk in some of our most vulnerable settings. I know that'll be hard. After the past 12 months, all any of us want to do is spend time with the people we love.
"But by sticking to the rules and being conscious of who we see and how often we see them, we'll help keep our friends and families safe."
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Visitors to care facilities and hospitals are limited to one household per day.
There are no limits on how many can attended a wedding or funeral but those events must follow the density limits of the venue.
Restaurants and retailers will open and students will return to schools. Sport and recreation events will re-commence but some major events will need to be examined by the state government.
Mr Andrews said the restrictions would be reviewed when the 14-day isolation period for people affected by the Holiday Inn cluster was over.
"These (restrictions) are in place from midnight to Friday week," he said. "That is the balance of the 14-day incubation period of risk for many thousands of people. We're very well placed. The circuit breaker has worked but the issue is not over and virus has not gone.
"The 14-day period is there for a reason. That's how long the virus can take to come forward and get a positive test.
"We always reserve the right to get the best medical advice to keep Victorians safe and, in an ongoing sense, keep Victoria open. There is simply no alternative but to the follow advice provided."
Daniel Andrews announces Victorian lockdown to end as scheduled
Daniel Andrews announced the lockdown would end at 11.59pm on Wednesday, February 17 at a press briefing this morning.
The state was plunged in to the "circuit breaker" lockdown on Friday as positive cases in the Holiday Inn cluster grew. Currently 19 coroavirus cases are linked to the cluster.
"This will be a five-day short, sharp circuit breaker," Mr Andrews said. "Restrictions will come off, almost all of them, at midnight tonight. That is what we said we need and what we said will work.
"No one take slightly, the decision to close businesses and change people's lives. The only way to avoid a third wave, having already defeated a second wave, is follow (the medical) advice."
Mr Andrews thanked Victorians for the work done during the lockdown, saying without it, the state's outlook would have been different.
"When you think about 3400 close contacts, if we had have been open during the outbreak, that number would be much higher than that, and positive cases would highter than that and, certainly, we would be reporting a very different set of circumstances," he said.
Earlier this week, Mr Andrews said the number of cases being found was encouraging.
Zero COVID-19 cases have been recorded in Victoria in the past 24 hours along with 39,258 tests.
The total number of confirmed cases in Victoria since the beginning of the pandemic is 20,475.
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