Premier Daniel Andrews rewarded regional Victoria for keeping COVID-19 infections low by announcing the area will"cautiously" emerge from lockdown on Thursday night.
The five reasons residents can leave home will no longer apply on August 9 from 11:59pm, with children in prep, Grade 1 and 2 as well as Year 12 students able to return to face-to-face learning and businesses set to reopen.Restaurants and cafes, retail, hairdressers and entertainment venues can reopen for seated service, although they will be kept to strict patron caps.
He also announced single parents - who were not able to access childcare due to the restrictions and not being authorised workers - will now be able to. Evidence of restrictive moments while in NSW border bubble - QR code check-ins, receipts and maintained minimal social contact and not left the bubble to visit risk areas