Analysis of today’s Victorian virus numbers by Nucleus Wealth shows that it is largely a Western Melbourne affair.
Both the three-day and seven-day average case numbers across Western Melbourne are running near or above 50 cases a day:
Elsewhere across Melbourne and Victoria, the virus has been largely contained.
A similar pattern has emerged across Western Sydney, which shares similar demographics.
On a brighter note, the Victorian Government has backflipped on its draconian playground ban, with playgrounds set to reopen from midnight tomorrow.
Further restrictions will be eased on 23 September, or when the state reaches a 70% vaccination rate:
- Expanding the 5km radius to 10km for shopping and for exercise.
- Extended time to exercise from 2 hours to three hours per day.
- Outdoor communal gym equipment, skate parks and things of that nature to reopen.
- Outdoor personal training will also be allowed with up to 2 people plus the trainer.
- Child-minding for school-aged children will be permitted.
- Real estate, private inspections of unoccupied premises for a new purchase or end of a lease will be permitted.
- Construction sites will be able to increase to 50% of their capacity where 90% of their workforce have received at least one vaccine dose.
For mine, the ongoing restrictions around outdoor physical activity are illogical and should be unwound at the same time as playgrounds reopen. These are low-risk activities and essential to health and wellbeing.
After more than seven months in lockdown, Melburnians deserve a break.
