45/52: We're Back!
Melbourne is on track to be one of the world's best news stories on the Covid-front. As I write this, it's now 'Donut Day 7' - that is, seven days in a row without a Coronavirus case. For those people not in Melbourne, here's a quick recap of what we've been through to get here:
16 weeks of lockdowns (9 Jul - 27 Oct):
9 July - Stage 3 lockdown (22 July - Masks become mandatory)
2 Aug - Stage 4 lockdown (5k limit, curfew, retail/bar closures, 4 reasons to leave home)
The roadmap out:
28 October - Third Step (retail/bar open, 25k limit, no restrictions on reasons to leave home)
9 Nov - from here we're looking forward to a lifting of the 25km restriction and then further easing toward Covid normal, including interstate travel. Watch this space.
The mood in Melbourne has lifted a lot over the last two weeks. Not only are we glad to have our freedoms returning, but we're bloody proud of what we've achieved. We will, however, rely very heavily on two key things going forward: 1) Community awareness and continued Covid-safe behaviours, and 2) Exceptional management of future outbreaks by our State Government including contract tracing, quarantining and other necessary measures. Without community and Government doing their bit, the lockdowns could all be for nothing. So as the sun begins to shine, the beers begin to flow and we look forward to 'Covid-normal Christmas' (whatever that actually means), I want to put a flag in the sand remember this time.