The following information is from Premier Mark McGowan’s Facebook update regarding WA exiting the current 4 day lockdown.
First, the headline news: the Perth and Peel lockdown will end as scheduled at midnight tonight.
Overnight, we detected one additional local case of COVID-19 in Western Australia. However, as this case involves the partner of a previous case who has been in quarantine, and had previously tested negative, this new case does not pose a risk to the community.
So, as we had hoped, we can now proceed to the end of lockdown restrictions. However, as with previous lockdowns, we will have a staged return towards pre-lockdown conditions over the coming days.
From midnight tonight (12:01am Saturday 3 July), Perth and Peel will move to interim restrictions which will remain in place for three days, until 12:01am Tuesday 6 July.
Following that, pending ongoing health advice, some further transitional restrictions will remain until Monday 12 July.
I’ll detail both stages of restrictions in a moment, but first can I take a moment to thank everyone for doing the right thing over these past few days. As always, we’ve seen strong compliance and excellent testing numbers, and that’s what gives us the confidence to take these steps.
The post-lockdown interim restrictions for the Perth and Peel regions from 12.01am Saturday, July 3 until 12.01am Tuesday, 6 July (pending the latest health advice), include:
- Everyone must continue to wear a mask in indoor and outdoor public places, while at work and on public transport, unless exempt or for outdoor vigorous exercise;
- People who can work from home or remotely, are encourage to do so;
- Limit of 10 visitors to all homes;
- Limit of 20 people for private outdoor gatherings;
- Four square metre capacity rule and 20 patron limit for restaurants, cafés, pubs, bars, casinos, nightclubs, entertainment venues and public venues – for seated food and drink service only;
- Four square metre capacity rule and 20 patron limit for beauty, nail and hair services;
- Public venues such as recreation centres, outdoor playgrounds, museums, swimming pools can open with the four square metre capacity rule and 20 patron limit in place;
- Universities, TAFEs and training services can reopen;
laces of worship can open with four square metre capacity rule and 20 patron limit; - Weddings and funerals can proceed with up to 20 guests;
- Professional and outdoor community sports, including training, are permitted, but without spectators. Indoor community sport is not permitted;
- Fitness venues including gyms, pilates, yoga, dance studios can open with four square metre capacity rule and 20 patron limit in place;
- No visitors to aged and disability facilities and hospitals, except for compassionate reasons and advocacy;
- No visitors to residential aged care and/or disability facilities except for exceptional circumstances such as essential care, compassionate reasons, end of life and advocacy; and,
- No visitors to hospitals except for compassionate reasons, end of life, accompanying a child or supporting a partner giving birth.
The intrastate Perth and Peel border will removed, meaning people can travel within WA, with the exception of some remote Aboriginal communities. However, anyone who has been in Perth and Peel during the lockdown period (from Tuesday, 29 June) is subject to same mask wearing requirements and will not be allowed to visit hospitality, entertainment, recreation venues or other public gatherings until after 12:01am Tuesday 6 July. People are permitted to enter retail venues and purchase takeaway.
People identified as casual contacts of confirmed COVID-19 cases are not permitted to travel outside the Perth and Peel regions until 12:01am Monday 12 July, unless for essential or compassionate reasons.
Regarding elective surgeries, category 2 and 3 elective surgeries have been postponed in public hospitals until Friday, 9 July. People are urged not to contact hospitals directly as they will be contacted to reschedule their appointments.
Following this upcoming three-day period, further eased transitional restrictions will take effect at 12:01am 6 July, and remain in place until 12:01am Monday 12 July – pending ongoing health advice.
This set of restrictions will include the following changes:
- Masks will not be required outside where physical distancing is possible;
- Masks will remain mandatory for indoor public venues, including in the workplace and on public transport. Exemptions apply including for medical reasons and primary school aged children or younger. People should use common sense and take a mask with them whenever they leave home;
- 30 person limit will apply in all homes for indoor private gatherings and 150 person limit for outdoor private gatherings;
- Two square metre capacity rule and 150 patron limit will apply to most venues, including weddings and funerals;
- Indoor and outdoor community sport will be able to resume with spectators;
- Patients in hospital, or people in aged care or a disability facility can have four personal visitors per day. Masks will remain mandatory for staff and visitors; and
Major stadiums, including Optus Stadium, RAC Arena and HBF Park will be able to operate at 50 per cent capacity.
We intend for these subsequent transitional restrictions to be in place for just six days, from Tuesday through Sunday to take us through the full 14 day incubation period.
Assuming everything goes well for these restrictions, and health advice permitting, we intend to take the final safe and sensible step and return to our pre-lockdown life by 12:01am Monday 12 July.
It’s a quick, safe and sensible approach to keep our State safe, and get us back to the incredible freedoms that we’ve enjoyed for most of the last year.
