Canberrans will be able to enjoy more freedoms from this Friday, with health authorities relaxing restrictions after the ACT reached the 95 per cent fully vaccinated milestone.
The ACT was originally set to enter the next phase of eased restrictions on 26 November, but Chief Minister Andrew Barr brought the date forward by two weeks.
From Thursday 11 November at 11.59pm, face masks will only be required in high-risk facilities including hospitals, aged care, correction and detention facilities, public transport, schools, airports and for some hospitality staff.
Canberrans are still encouraged to wear face masks indoors in crowded settings to reduce transmission.
Nightclubs will be able to reopen with dancing now permitted, while people will also be allowed to eat and drink while standing up in licensed venues, cafes and restaurants.
There will be no limit on the number of visitors to households and for informal outdoor gatherings.
Cinemas, swimming pools, theatres and outdoor venues with fixed seating, including Manuka Oval, GIO Stadium and Exhibition Park in Canberra will increase to 100 per cent capacity.
For most activities in outdoor spaces, there will be no more density limits and events will be able to have more people before an exemption is required.
The Territory will also move to a default density limit of one person per two square metres across most indoor settings, including hospitality, retail and indoor sports.
Chief Minister Andrew Barr and Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith announced the relaxing of restrictions in a statement this morning, saying Canberrans should be proud of their pandemic response.
“Canberrans should be incredibly proud of how our city has responded to the pandemic,” the statement read.
“More than 370,000 adult and teenage Canberrans have been fully vaccinated.
“Canberrans now have a lot to look forward to in our city over the summer months as we enter this new phase of our pandemic response.
“But the pandemic isn’t over and we still need to look out for each other. Stay at home if you are feeling unwell and get tested if you have any COVID symptoms.”
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