Australian Open: Fans set to return to Melbourne Park after lockdown lifted
- by Emilio Sims
- in Money
- — Feb 17, 2021
Andrews's decision allows around six million residents to leave their homes, businesses to reopen and some spectators to return for the final days of the Australian Open tennis tournament.
The Australian Open will be able to open its gates to fans for the last four days of the tournament after the state of Victoria announced that a snap coronavirus lockdown would be lifted at midnight on Wednesday.
In New Zealand, nearly two million Aucklanders will enjoy similar freedoms after Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said a three-day lockdown had quelled the city's most serious outbreak in nearly six months. But the state government is now under pressure to explain how the virus escaped hotel quarantine, after similar breaches nationally in recent times.
Andrews asserted that masks will remain mandatory both indoors and outdoors.
Snap restrictions were ordered last Friday after a small outbreak of the more infectious United Kingdom coronavirus variant prompted fears Australia's successful battle to contain the pandemic could be undone.
"They were already were reduced but may have to be reduced further", he said of crowd sizes.
But some experts - including the Australian Medical Association - have been calling for a review of hotel quarantine environments due to concerns about airborne transmission.
Chief Health Officer Professor Brett Sutton urged Victorians to be vigilant, saying people identified as close contacts of existing COVID-19 must see out their remaining quarantine periods.
Earlier this week the city of Auckland entered a three-day lockdown - the first in the country for six months - after a family of three tested positive for Covid-19.
Mr Andrews emphasised the "hyper-infectious" nature of the United Kingdom variant as justification for announcing the lockdown last Friday. "We are well-placed to be able to make changes tomorrow night".
Are restaurants open? Hospitality venues - including restaurants, bars and cafes - can once again reopen with the same density limits that were in place last week.
Auckland is also hosting a major sporting event - the America's Cup yachting regatta - which is expected to resume this week with crowds watching from the shoreline restricted to 100. Victorians will only be allowed 5 visitors to the home per day and public gatherings will be limited to 20 people.
