On Monday, NSW will exit lockdown after the state achieved a 70% full vaccination threshold yesterday. Moreover, NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet yesterday further eased a number of restrictions effective from Monday.
By contrast, when Victoria hits its 70% full vaccination threshold (expected on 25 October), Melburnians will be subject to much more onerous restrictions than their Sydney counterparts. This includes not being permitted to have people visit their homes, not being able to go to the gym, not being permitted to attend indoor cafes, pubs, retail, indoor weddings or funerals, and not being allowed to travel through the state.
The differences between Sydney’s and Melbourne’s reopening roadmaps at 70% fully vaccinated are summarised below, broken down by activity:
Hospitality:
Sydney:
Open with one person per 4 sqm inside and one person per 2 sqm outside with standing while drinking outside permitted.
Melbourne:
Pubs, clubs and entertainment venues can open to 50 fully vaccinated people outdoors with seated service only. Closed to indoor trade.
Home Visits:
Sydney:
10 visitors to home (not including children 12 years and under).
Melbourne:
No visitors to the home.
Retail:
Sydney:
Open with one person per 4 sqm inside.
Melbourne:
Closed.
Gyms:
Sydney:
Open with one person per 4 sqm inside with classes of up to 20 people.
Melbourne:
Closed.
Indoor Pools:
Sydney:
Open with one person per 4 sqm inside with classes of up to 20 people.
Melbourne:
Closed.
Outdoor Gatherings:
Sydney:
30-person fully vaccinated cap on outdoor public gatherings.
Melbourne:
10 fully vaccinated people can gather outdoors.
Weddings and Religious Services:
Sydney:
10-person fully vaccinated cap on choirs at religious services indoors.
100-person fully vaccinated cap for weddings and funerals indoors.
Melbourne:
Funerals: 50 fully vaccinated outdoors or 20 fully vaccinated indoors.
Weddings: 50 fully vaccinated outdoors only.
Outdoor Events:
Sydney:
Up to 500 people can attend ticketed and seated outdoor events.
Melbourne:
50-person fully vaccinated cap with one person per 4sqm.
Masks:
Sydney:
Required indoors only.
Melbourne:
Required indoors and outdoors.
Travel:
Sydney:
Fully vaccinated permitted to travel within NSW.
Melbourne:
Not allowed to travel outside of Greater Melbourne.
The news is better for fully vaccinated Melburnians once the 80% full vaccination target is hit (indicative date 6 November). By then, Sydney and Melbourne will be largely on the same track with vaccinated Melburnians allowed to have 10 people visit their homes (versus 20 in Sydney), can attend gyms, retail, pubs and cafes (but seated only service), can attend indoor weddings and funerals, and can travel through the state.
My biggest issue is that Melburnians will effectively still be under lockdown at the 70% threshold, whereas Sydneysiders will have freedom from Monday.
By then, Melburnians will already have endured 267 days in hard lockdown – a world record.
Melburnians deserve better.
