Times
www.gippslandtimes.com.au
GIPPSLAND
TUESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2021
$1.70 Incc. GST Tel: 5143 3 9333
& MAFFRA M SPECTATOR
PAGE E7
PAGE 9
BUSINESS
MAINTAINING SALE
CASH HELP
CEMETERY Tuesday Mostly sunny Max: 14 Tuesday Showers - Min:-4Min: Max:4 13
day Mostly sunny - Min: 3 Max: Thursday Showers - Min: 3 Max: 14 14
Wednesday Showers - Min: 3 Max: 14
INSIDE
PropertyGuide GippslandTimes
Lockdown again
PERMITS for authorised work and childcare, closed playgrounds, construction site limits and children wearing masks are a few of the stricter settings regional Victoria must adhere to under lockdown 6.2. As the regions rejoin their metropolitan counterparts in lockdown, there are a few notable changes from settings in place when country Victoria was last in hard lockdown a week ago. While there is no curfew locally, regional Victoria falls under Melbourne’s other tightened restrictions until at least 11.59pm next Thursday, September 2. There are only five reasons to leave the home statewide: to get food and essential supplies, to exercise for up to two hours, for care or caregiving, authorised work or education if unable to do so from home, or to get vaccinated at the nearest possible location. The five kilometre radius is back, and people must exercise and shop within that five kilometres, unless their closest supermarket is further away. Regional hospitality is now takeaway only again, and schools have returned to online learning. As well as the long list of businesses that must close every lockdown — such as accommodation, entertainment venues, non-essential retail, hairdressing and beauty salons and tourism operators — all childcare centres across Victoria are now closed, except to children whose parents are authorised workers and cannot be supervised at home, and to vulnerable children. Authorised workers’ permits are now required to leave the house for work, and it is the employer’s responsibility to issue the staff a permit. The permit also allows parents and guardians to access childcare, kindergarten and early education centres. Home visits are still banned, as they have been since May 28. Face masks are still mandatory outdoors and indoors unless an exception applies – including all workplaces and secondary schools — and masks cannot be removed to drink alcoholic beverages.
While the rain might’ve been enough to keep children away from Sale Botanic Gardens yesterday morning, local playgrounds must be shut until at least September 2 bring the regions into line with metropolitan restrictions.
Photo: Sarah Luke
Victoria’s public health team has issued a “strong recommendation” primary school aged children wear a mask when they are not at home. Workforce limits now apply to the construction industry, with staffing reduced to 25 per cent or five workers on site, whichever is higher. Playgrounds, basketball hoops, skate parks and outdoor exercise equipment are closed. Exercise is limited to just one other person, plus dependants if they can’t be left at home. Premier Daniel Andrews gave regional Victoria just two hours’ warning before it was plunged into lockdown, but said positive cases in Shepparton had travelled to Bendigo and beyond.
“... there is a very significant risk of transmission right across Victoria, not just in the Goulburn Valley area,” he said in announcing the lockdown. “This virus has made its way from Sydney to New Zealand for heaven’s sake, therefore we shouldn’t be having any of these debates about whether the whole of country Victoria is at risk. “The judgement of our public health experts is that it should be state-wide, and on that basis, that lockdown, those five reasons to leave will apply to all of regional Victoria, just as it applies to Melbourne.” The age demographic of this outbreak is different to the state’s other outbreaks, with about 80 per
YES, WE ARE OPEN!
FOR SERVICING AND REPAIRS We offer free pick up and drop off in the Sale area.
cent of active cases aged below 40 and about 25 per cent under the age of nine. Cases currently in hospital include people in their 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s. Health Minister Martin Foley said he knew having childcare centres closed would be difficult for parents already juggling so much but “with so many young children in this outbreak contracting the virus, we need to do more to protect them and their families”. There are more than 390,000 COVID-19 vaccine appointments available during the next four weeks. The government urged all eligible Victorians to Continued page 3
Take care of your mop during lockdown
We will be practicing safe hygiene and social distancing as per Covid 19 prevention
SALE MAZDA & MITSUBISHI 273 York St, Sale Ph: 5144 1311 www.salemazdaandmitsubishi.com.au
Yesterday, health authorities announced 71 new local cases of COVID-19, bringing the state’s total to 495 active cases of coronavirus in Victoria. Of the 71 local cases, 49 were linked to known outbreaks and 22 were still under investigation. On Sunday, 103 of the active cases were aged nine and under, and 85 aged between 10 and 19. There were 27 COVID-19 cases in hospital in Victoria, with 12 cases in intensive care and five cases on ventilators. In Victoria, 29.5 per cent of the population was fully vaccinated, and 50.9 per cent had their first dose of vaccine — slightly behind the national average of 30 per cent and 52.3 per cent respectively. Regional exposure sites included a service station at Bonnie Doon, a bobcat parts store in Bendigo and 45 sites in Shepparton. At the time of print, the government’s exposure site list (available at www. coronavirus.vic.gov.au/exposure-sites) did not mention any sites east of Pakenham.
LMCT. 10439
at H HAIR AIIR IS IS KANYEMBA ANYEMBA Raymond Street, Sale
Phone 5144 5746
“There’s always something to be grateful for”
GP163 GP1630294
WEATHER