Almost a week ahead of schedule, 80 per cent of Victorians over the age of 16 are set to be fully vaccinated by Friday October 29. And reaching that major milestone means another significant easing of restrictions is to come. Here’s what to expect.

From 6pm on Friday October 29:
Masks
• Face masks will only be required indoors, though they’ll be highly recommended outdoors where you cannot physically distance.

Travel
• Travel between metro Melbourne and regional Victoria will be permitted again, and both areas will move forward on the same restrictions.
• Accommodation is open in line with the private-gathering limit, with vaccination recommended.

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Gatherings
• The outdoor-gathering limit will increase from 15 to 30 people, including dependents. Vaccination is strongly recommended.
• There’s no change to the private-gathering limit; it will remain at up to 10 people per day, including dependents. Again, vaccination is strongly recommended.

Retail
• Retail will reopen with a density quotient of one person per four square metres.

Hospitality
• Hospitality venues can trade with one person per four square metres indoors (seated service only) and one person per two square metres outdoors (dance floors permitted), with a 500-person cap. Though small venues can host 25 people before the density quotient applies. Diners must be fully vaccinated.
• Food courts can reopen for one person per four square metres.

Entertainment
• Non-seated indoor entertainment venues can open with a one-person-per-four-square-metres density quotient, for the fully vaccinated.
• Seated indoor entertainment venues – such as cinemas and theatres – can operate at 75 per cent capacity (or with a one-person-per-four-square-metres density quotient), up to 1000 people. Attendees must be fully vaccinated.
• Outdoor seated and non-seated entertainment venues – including stadiums, zoos and tourism attractions – will open with a one-person-per-two-square-metres density quotient, with a 5000-person cap. Attendees must be fully vaccinated.
• Nightclubs and karaoke bars will be open for seated service only, with one (fully vaccinated) person per four square metres indoors. Dance floors will be permitted outdoors, where one person per two square metres will be allowed.

Events
• Weddings, funerals and religious ceremonies can go ahead indoors (one person per four square metres) and outdoors (one person per two square metres) with a 500-person cap, for the fully vaccinated. Thirty people is the cap if vaccination status is unknown.
• Events such as music festivals and community sport can return for the fully vaccinated, with crowds of up to 5000 people.

Education
• Early-childhood education and care will be open.
• Schools will return to on-site learning for all year levels, with safety measures in place.

Work
• Working from home should continue if possible, though you’ll be able to go to work if you’re fully vaccinated.

Exercise
• Physical recreation and community sport are allowed indoors (one person per four square metres) and outdoors (one person per two square metres) with a 500-person cap, for fully vaccinated people. The same applies to swimming pools, spas, saunas, steam rooms and springs.

Personal care
• Hairdressing, beauty and personal-care services can host one fully vaccinated person per four square metres.

coronavirus.vic.gov.au