29/04/2021
Latest update!
Tonight I am able to announce the changes to restrictions which will occur at midnight tomorrow night, 12.01am Saturday 1 May, with the majority of interim restrictions set to lift immediately.
We know we can safely take these steps, in line with health advice, thanks to the outstanding efforts of the community and our contact tracing team.
Since Friday, over 50,000 tests have been conducted across WA, and contact tracers have identified and contacted 399 close contacts and 899 casual contacts.
Those are incredible numbers, and they can give us confidence that our efforts have paid off.
Some minor restrictions will need to remain in place for a further seven days – which will take us to the end of the incubation period of the virus from the last known case in the community.
Just to be clear – it is possible that we may record more local cases over the coming week - particularly from 399 people in the close contact group.
Each of these close contacts is required to complete 14 days of self-quarantine, and will be tested again before leaving.
The small risk of finding another case in the community is why some restrictions will remain for the time being.
But it is the measures that we have taken: our short, sharp lockdown, the interim restrictions and the contact tracing and testing, that have put us the position we are in now.
That position is one of being able to snap back to where we were, with very few restrictions.
So – as planned, our interim restrictions are set to end at midnight tomorrow night – that is 12.01am Saturday 1 May.
At this point, Perth and Peel will return to life as we knew it before lockdown, with a few restrictions to help keep us safe.
All things going well, and based on ongoing health advice, these few restrictions will only be in place for 7 days – coming to an end at 12.01am on Saturday 8 May.
These are the restrictions which will remain in place from 12:01am Saturday 1 May:
- Masks -
Firstly, based on health advice, we need to keep using masks – but we can relax the requirements for wearing them outdoors.
Masks will be mandatory for indoor public venues, including in the workplace and on public transport.
However, masks will only need to be worn outdoors where physical distancing is not possible. For example, at Optus Stadium, or at an outdoor fete.
The same exceptions apply, including for medical reasons and primary school aged children and younger.
Anyone who has been in the Perth or Peel regions since 17 April but has since travelled to another region must also continue to wear a mask subject to the above conditions.
If you leave your home, take your mask with you and, as always, use common sense.
- Other remaining restrictions –
A 30-person limit will apply in all homes for private gatherings. This is because masks are not required at home.
Nightclubs can open, but will be subject to the four square metre rule; with masks mandatory.
Indoor weddings and funerals will be permitted for up to 200 guests without requiring an exemption;
Patient visits are allowed with one personal visitor per day in hospital or aged/disability care; and
Major stadiums, including Optus Stadium, RAC Arena and HBF Park can operate at 75 per cent capacity.
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These changes mean that all businesses and venues will be able to reopen, including those which were unable to open this week. In line with pre-lockdown conditions:
All elective surgeries are to resume.
Seated hospitality venues, including restaurants, cafés, food courts and bars that provide seated service only, can open at 75 per cent capacity or apply the 2sqm rule – whichever is greater. The casino and other hospitality venues can reopen under the 2sqm rule (excluding nightclubs, as above).
Gyms, fitness centres, dance studios, beauty salons, hairdressers can open with the two square metre rule in place. Indoor and outdoor community sport can resume with spectators.
Public venues, including, community centres, libraries, museums, galleries, recreation centres, can open with the two square metre rule in place.
Certain indoor and outdoor entertainment venues with fixed seating will be able to operate at 100 per cent capacity, this includes theatres, concert halls, cinemas, comedy lounges and performing arts centres. Places of worship can reopen to 100 per cent capacity.
For more information on these plans will be detailed on our website soon – at www.wa.gov.au
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It is my hope – and my expectation – that from Saturday the 8th of May these relatively minor restrictions will be able to come off – and we completely return to where we were at before the lockdown.
I know wearing masks is annoying and frustrating for many people. But I just ask, that we keep following the health advice and, always, use common sense.
We just need to get through this next week to be sure the virus is not lingering in the community.
I also want to remind people to use the SafeWA app. It’s more important than ever that we all use SafeWA or sign in on a contact register, every single time we go to a public venue.
We need to ensure we keep doing this while the threat of the pandemic exists.
This has been an extremely disruptive week, and I expect the next week could be challenging for some people.
I encourage everyone to support local businesses as much as they can.
It will go a long way to help them recover from the events of the past week.
So far, it seems, WA will avoid a rolling, long-term lockdown or long-term severe restrictions – and that is a credit to every Western Australian.
Thank you, once again for your understanding and for listening to the advice, following the instructions and getting on with it – the true West Aussie way.