Three Stage Plan of Reopening Up Australia By PM Scott Morrison
As Coronavirus deaths shot up to 97 in Australia and with total positive cases at 6,900, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has unveiled a three-stage plan which could have Australia mostly reopened by July.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has unveiled a three-stage roadmap indicating when the country can start to move away from strict coronavirus restrictions and back towards normality.
Restaurants, cafes and shops could be opened as part of stage one, but it is ultimately up to each state and territory to make final decisions on when and what restrictions are eased.
As part of the road map national cabinet will conduct a review every three weeks on the impact any changes have made on possible infection risks.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison outlines Australia’s roadmap to coronavirus recovery.
Mr Morrison said he hoped stage three could be achieved by July.
Social distancing practices will still play a big part in all three stages. Here are the details on what you will – and won’t – be able to do as Australia moves through each different stage.
Stage one
Stage one of the roadmap will give Australians the chance to return to local cafes, eat at small restaurants and spend time with family and friends.
When restrictions are eased to stage one, people will be able to have five guests in their home, while facilities such as community centres, libraries, sports fields and educational facilities will also start to reopen.
Groups of up to ten people will be allowed outdoors while new rules will also allow more people to attend weddings and funerals.
The federal government’s three stage road-map out of coronavirus restrictionsGetty Images
Funerals will be able to have 20 mourners indoors or 30 if held outdoors. Weddings will be capped at 13 – made up of the couple, the celebrant and ten guests.
Outdoor sports of less than 10 people will be permitted and swimming pools will be allowed to reopen.
Restaurants will be allowed to reopen but chief medical officer Brendan Murphy said a 10 person limit would be enforced for sit down customers.
Swimming pools will be allowed to reopen under stage one restrictions.AAP
“We know that means many cafes and restaurants won’t be able to open, but many that are doing takeaway may want to put up enough distant tables to start gently serving 10 people at a time,” he said.
Queensland was quick to announce the state would move into stage one on 15 May and Tasmania will follow suit a few days later on 18 May.
Other states and territories have yet to indicate when they will ease restrictions to stage one.
Stage two
More people will be able to come together, travel between states may resume as well as the reopening of gyms, cinemas and galleries when states ease restrictions to stage two.
Gatherings of up to 20 people will be allowed outdoors, while outdoor sports of less than 20 people will also begin to take place.
Restaurants and cafes will be able to increase their capacity to 20 people.
Australia’s gyms will start to fill up again under stage two restrictions.SBS
Weddings and other religious gatherings will also be limited to 20 people, while funerals will be capped at 50 mourners.
Tattoo parlours, as well as beauty and massage therapy venues, will be allowed to reopen as long as they keep a record of contact information for all clients.
People will also slowly begin to return to the workplace.
Regional travel inside a state or territory will be allowed with caravan and camping grounds to reopen.
Interstate travel could be allowed again, however it would be up to individual states to decide when and how their border restrictions are eased.
The Northern Territory will be the first to move into stage two when they ease restrictions on 15 May. Queensland is expected to begin stage two on 13 June and Tasmania will do so on 15 June.
NSW, Victoria, WA, ACT and SA have yet to make an announcement on when they will likely begin stage two of easing restrictions.
Stage Three
Life will be well on its way to returning to normal when states implement the third stage of restrictions being eased.
Gatherings of up to 100 people will be allowed at stage three with some larger events also to be considered on a case by case basis. This includes weddings and funerals.
Cafes and restaurants will also be allowed to host 100 people, but they will need to follow the rule of four square meters per person.
Source & Credit – AAP