After weeks of hearing Australia’s leaders flip-flopping back and forth on when the COVID-19 lockdown rules will end, Scott Morrison has finally revealed an actual “COVIDSafe roadmap” that outlines a plan on getting things back to something akin to normal by July (hopefully).
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Scotty laid out the COVIDSafe roadmap in a press conference and it involves a three-stage plan to gradually open Australia back up once we’ve got a firm handle on the COVID-19 crisis.
Now there’s no set time frame on when this plan will be achieved as Scotty says the COVIDSafe roadmap will be followed at the discretion of each state and territory depending on how things go (which we know can be unpredictable). The idea is to hopefully reach step three by July and have Australia’s COVID-19 lockdown rules end or at least eased up by then. But again who knows.
If it makes you feel better, we will be allowed to travel again. Well, sort of.
Anyway, here’s the rundown of Scott Morrison’s grand plan to ease the COVID-19 lockdown rules and gradually open Australia back up.
Step One – Small steps
Bye bye two-people rule and hello social gatherings of up to five people at home, and 10 people in business and public areas. Working from home is still at the discretion of your employers so if it’s been working then keep doing what you’re doing.
Restaurants, cafes, and retail stores will be opening again. Libraries, community centres, classrooms, playgrounds, and boot camps (A/N: uhh what?) will also be open, albeit under certain rules. Restrictions on outdoor gatherings will also ease up and funerals can have up to 30 attendees while weddings can have 10.
Here’s the big one: local and regional travel will be allowed again but not interstate travel. Baby steps.
Step Two – Getting bigger
Gatherings up to 20 people will be allowed now. WFH rules still the same.
More recreational venues will (finally) open under certain restrictions, such as cinemas, galleries, community sport, gyms, beauty parlours, and theme parks. Those who’ve been really missing camping and caravan-ing can also go do that.
Last but definitely not least: some interstate travel will be permitted again, though that depends on the border policies of each state and territory.
Step Three – Approaching normality
Things will be approaching something resembling normality here as gatherings up to 100 people will be allowed, though it all depends on how steps one and two go. WFH is no longer implemented and all of us should be headed back to the workplace.
For those sick of drinking at home, pubs, clubs, nightclubs and food courts will finally open up again, albeit with restrictions.
And now the big one: all interstate travel will be permitted (including air travel) and international Trans-Tasman travel will be considered. International travel for the Pacific Islands and international students will also be looked at.
Throughout each of the three steps, people are to still follow established physical distancing rules. this means:
- Stand 1.5 metres apart.
- Wash your hands thoroughly.
- Don’t be a slob when sneezing and/or coughing.
- Staying home if you’re sick.
- (Optional) Download the COVIDSafe app. The govt has this on their rules list but we have it optional because of the app’s various functionality and security issues.
You know, things we’ve all been doing since the COVID-19 pandemic hit Australia.
Now all this looks promising but keep in mind again that there’s no set timeline for Scott Morrison’s COVIDSafe roadmap to be fully implemented. It’ll be up to the states and territories to make the big decisions on how to follow Scotty’s plan and it is very possible the planned July target may be a bit too optimistic.
But hey, at least this COVIDSafe roadmap shows that there’s some sort of plan in place to open Australia back up post-COVID-19, which is more than can be said for other countries around the world. We just have to be patient but it’s nice to know that we’re inching ever closer to normality.
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