Mask and Vaccination rules change from tonight (Wed 15 Dec)
PROOF OF VACCINATION
From 11:59pm tonight some proof of vaccination rules will be eased.
- People aged under 18 will no longer have to show their vaccination status to get into any venues.
- Mandatory vaccination rules will also ease in most retail settings, meaning people will no longer have to present proof of being fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
- Proof of vaccination will also be dropped as a requirement in settings such as real estate, places of worship, weddings and funerals.
- If funerals and weddings are held at a place of worship, vaccination requirements won’t apply, but if they’re held in a hospitality setting, then the need for proof of vaccination will still apply.
- Hair and beauty services are the exception, and a proof of vaccination will still be required there.
- Hospitality settings such as restaurants, cafes, bars and pubs will still require proof of two COVID-19 jabs, or a valid exemption Certificate
MASKS STILL NEEDED
- Workers will still need to wear masks in hospitality settings, and both workers and customers will still need to wear masks in all retail settings.
- Face masks no longer need to be worn at weddings, funerals, and other ceremonial settings.
- There are other settings where masks still need to be worn, including when visiting a hospital, catching public transport and for workers at abattoir, meat, seafood and poultry processing sites.
- Under the state’s roadmap, the requirement for masks in retail settings was scheduled to be dropped in mid-December, but Victorian Health Minister Martin Foley said Omicron had “changed the landscape”.
- Masks will still be required on public transport in Victoria until at least January 12, 2022.Other changes that will come into effect at 11:59pm tonight are enabling regional and rural areas to schedule more elective surgery procedures and changing cleaning requirements.
MORE SURGERY, LESS CLEANING
- Elective surgery in country areas will be able to ramp up to 75 per cent of the health services’ usual capacity.
- Workplaces exposed to the virus will no longer have to undergo a deep clean.
- In venues such as gyms, tour and transport operations and creative arts venues equipment will no longer need to be cleaned between each use.