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Negative COVID case a positive for Valley By MICHELLE SLATER
LOCKDOWN SET TO END LOCKD KDOWN D will end in regional Victoria apart from Greater Shepparton at 11.59pm tonight. Premier Daniel Andrews announced the news yesterday on a day where the state recorded 221 new locally-acquired cases. Mr Andrews An n praised regi gional i Victorians for their efforts. “There will be a degree of freedom in regional Victoria which has been hard won, regional Victorians have done a fantastic job,” he said. Despite the lifting of lockdown, Mr Andrews An n said regi gional i Victorians would need to remain vigi gilant. i “Businesses will be able to reopen, there will be limits though, it’s not a snap back, it’s not freedom day, it’s not 100 per cent capacity down at the pub, it can’t be,” he said. “If it is we will simply see numbers spread and we will have to close large parts of regi gional i
Victori ria i down again and perhaps even all of regi gional i Victoria.” Mr Andrews said the state government would lockdown specifi fic i regional areas if cases began appearing in the future. “If we do finish up with cases bobbing up in regional Victoria in coming weeks, I just want to indicate to everybody across regi gional i Victoria, not only is it our preference but it is our practice to have a focused and targeted series of measures,” he said. “If there were an outbreak in another part of regional Victoria we would look to try and target and localise public health measures as much as we could.” The lifting of the lockdown measures means the fii reasons to leave home will no longer apply. five Travel limits have been abolished, however trips to Melbourne are restricted to those with specifi fied i purposes. Schools will reopen for onsite learning for students from Prep to Grade 2, Year 12 and Year 11s, who
are studyi ying i a Year 12 subject. Remote learning will remain for students in all other levels. The Authorised Worker list will no longer apply in regional Victoria, meaning most businesses and venues can reopen with capacity and density limits. Regional Victorians will return to the rule ‘if you can work from home, you should work from home’, but offi fice i workers will be able to return at 25 per cent capacity or up to 10 people, whichever is greater. grr Hospitality venues will open with a maximum of 20 patrons outdoors and 10 indoors, subject to density limits. All retail businesses will be permitted to open with All a density limit of one person per 4sqm. Public gatherings will be permitted for up to 10 people. Continued on page 6
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By TOM GANNON
A COVID-19 case recorded in the Latrobe Valley yesterday has turned out to be negative, the Gippsland Region Public Health Unit has confirmed. It comes after the Victorian coronavirus website yesterday reported a new case in the 3825 postcode, which incorporates the Moe and Newborough district. The GRPHU was notified that a local person could have potentially been exposed to the virus. “This initiated the COVID-19 response protocol and following further testing this morning, the person has returned a negative result,” a spokesperson said. “The GRPHU is working with the Victorian Department of Health to ensure the data is updated.” “We acknowledge the community’s co-operation during lockdown and remind people to quarantine and get tested if directed to do so. “Your co-operation significantly reduces the spread of the virus.” Victoria’s Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton had stated there were five new cases in regional Victoria at yesterday’s media conference. Dr Sutton said this was including one in the Latrobe Valley “likely acquired in Melbourne”. “All household contacts have tested negative. This is a good sign. There will be low-level exposure sites,” Dr Sutton told media. “We need everyone in these areas to be on guard and be wary of these potential exposure sites.” Dr Sutton encouraged people to check the state government’s coronavirus website for any updated exposure sites.