Anyone who returns to the ACT from Victoria after midnight tonight, Thursday 27 May, must stay at home, the ACT Government has mandated. Victoria will be locked down for the next week after an outbreak of COVID-19 in the state.
ACT residents who travel home from Victoria must complete an online declaration form within 24 hours before returning to Canberra, or tomorrow if they have already returned. They must travel directly to their residence and remain there until at least 11.59pm on Thursday 3 June.
They can only leave the residence for an approved essential purpose. If they do so, they must wear a mask if they are 12 or older. They do not need to wear a mask for vigorous exercise outdoors.
The approved essential purposes are:
- Essential work, if they cannot work from home or remotely.
- Shopping for essentials like groceries, medicine, and necessary supplies.
- Medical or health care needs, including compassionate requirements, and looking after the vulnerable.
- Receiving a COVID-19 vaccination, where an appointment has been booked, and the individual is not in isolation or in quarantine.
- Exercising outdoors, limited to one hour per day.
- Essential animal welfare purposes (e.g. feeding pets or livestock that live elsewhere).
Non-ACT residents leaving Victoria cannot enter the ACT without an approved exemption. Even if an exemption is approved, they must follow the stay-at-home order in the ACT.
People already in the ACT who were in Greater Melbourne in the last 14 days must complete an online declaration form.
People travelling to the ACT who left Victoria before midnight tonight and who were in Greater Melbourne in the last fortnight must complete an online declaration form 24 hours before they arrive.
Download the declaration form and exemption form from the COVID-19 website.
City of Whittlesea listed as COVID-19 Place of Concern
ACT Health has declared the City of Whittlesea, Greater Melbourne, a COVID-19 Place of Concern, due to concern about undetected community transmission in this local government area.
From 11:59pm tonight, anyone who has been to the City of Whittlesea in the past 14 days must get tested and isolate until they receive a negative result. If they are required to stay at home, they must do so until the requirement is lifted.
The suburbs within the City of Whittlesea include Bundoora (split with the City of Darebin and City of Banyule); Doreen (split with Shire of Millumbik); Epping; Epping North; Lalor; Mernda; Mill Park; South Morang; Thomastown; Whittlesea Township; Beveridge (split with Shire of Mitchell); Donnybrook; Eden Park; Humevale; Kinglake West; Wollert; Woodstock; and Yan Yean (split with Shire of Millumbik).
Exposure Locations
People in the ACT who were in Victoria in the last 14 days should check the ACT Government’s COVID-19 Areas of Concern website to see if they visited any newly identified close or casual contact locations. Exposure locations are updated regularly as new cases emerge.
People who have attended a close contact exposure location must:
- contact ACT Health on (02) 5124 6209
- get tested for COVID-19
- quarantine immediately for 14 days from the date they were last in the exposure location even if they get a negative test result.
Those not already in the ACT and who visited a close contact exposure location must seek an exemption before entering the ACT.
People who have been to a casual contact exposure location must get tested as soon as possible. They must isolate until they receive a negative test result. If they must stay at home, they will also need to do so until the order is lifted. They must monitor for symptoms for 14 days from the date they were last in the casual contact exposure locations, and get re-tested if they do develop any symptoms, no matter how mild.
Attending high-risk areas
Bendigo, Victoria, has been declared a Geographical Area of Risk. Staff, visitors, and volunteers in high-risk settings who were in Greater Melbourne or Bendigo in the past 14 days should not visit or attend work for another 14 days since they were last in the area.
These high-risk settings include hospitals, residential aged care facilities, correctional facilities, and residential accommodation facilities that support people who require frequent, close personal care and who are vulnerable to severe disease.
Staff returning from Greater Melbourne or Bendigo who provide home-based aged care and disability services that involve close physical contact with clients, should not provide in-home care for 14 days since they were last in the area.
Travel advice for Greater Melbourne
Due to the rapidly evolving COVID-19 situation in Victoria, ACT Health advises against travel to Victoria at this time unless for essential reasons. People who still decide to travel to Victoria must abide by all Victorian Government public health restrictions. They should be prepared to change their travel plans at short notice as the situation in Victoria continues to develop, and must also follow all ACT public health instructions upon their return.
Getting vaccinated against COVID-19 is more important than ever
The latest outbreak in Victoria is an important reminder to get vaccinated against COVID-19 for people in phase 1a or 1b, or aged 50 years and older.
“Getting vaccinated is an important defence against the serious effects of COVID-19 and can help protect you, your family, and the community,” a government spokesperson said.
Eligible people can make an appointment for their vaccination at:
- the Garran COVID-19 mass vaccination clinic, for people younger than 50
- the Calvary Public Hospital COVID-19 vaccination clinic, for people 50 years or older
- participating GPs
- Winnunga Nimmityjah Aboriginal Health and Community Services.
People can book:
online – using the ACT Government booking system MyDHR
phone – call the ACT Government COVID-19 Vaccination Line on 02 5124 7700, 8am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. Save time by using the call back service, which will return a call the same day.
at a GP – use the Commonwealth Government’s Vaccine Eligibility Checker for a list of participating practices
at Winnunga Nimmityjah Aboriginal Health Service – call reception on 02 6284 6222, 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.
For more information on eligibility and how to book your vaccination, visit the ACT COVID-19 website.
Keep Canberra safe and strong
“These recent developments show that COVID-19 is still with us,” an ACT Government spokesperson said. “If you are travelling anywhere in Australia, remember that things can change quickly.”
Travellers should regularly check the public health advice of the place they are visiting; follow regular COVID-safe practices; and check in at venues to support contract tracing.
ACT residents and visitors should keep Canberra safe and strong by staying home if unwell; getting tested for COVID-19 if they experience even mild COVID-like symptoms; physically distancing from people they do not know; and practising careful hand and respiratory hygiene.
For more news:
