Overview
When the Australian Government announced its three-step road map to a COVIDSafe Australia last month, it included a 100-person cap on gatherings in step three, which is set to be introduced in July. Today, Friday, June 12, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has lifted this cap and replaced it by a blanket four-square-metre rule.
This means that bigger venues will be able to have bigger gatherings — and more than 100 people at events as long as they don't exceed one person per four square metres. The Prime Minister also announced that outdoor venues, such as stadiums, with a capacity of up to 40,000 will be allowed to open at 25 percent capacity, but events must be ticketed and seated.
As the Prime Minister said, this means music festivals and nightclubs are still off the cards: "Large folk festivals where people are roaming around from tent to tent, from gathering to gathering, that is not something we're talking about here."
Larger events that would be allowed as part of step three, according to the Prime Minister, include funerals, cultural performances and sports.
Letícia Almeida
Exactly when this will be allowed, though, is up to individual state and territory leaders. As has been the case throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the roadmap is a guideline and it's up to individual leaders to implement the steps — and amend the state laws — as they see fit.
The Prime Minister did say, though, that the country was on track for the three-step process to be completed by July.
Queensland has already outlined what step three could look like, and plans to introduce it on July 10. Victoria has plans to ease more restrictions on June 21 and again in mid-July. NSW is easing some restrictions tomorrow — including opening gyms and allowing gatherings of up to 20 people — but Premier Gladys Berejiklian said yesterday that more on the government's plans for July would be announced "imminently".
To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Australia and how to protect yourself, head to the Australian Government Department of Health's website.