Victoria tightens NSW border controls as state records two new local COVID-19 cases

The Andrews government will tighten NSW border controls in a bid to curb movement between the two states and lessen the risk of spawning another COVID-19 outbreak.

Under the rules, which come into effect at 11.59pm on Tuesday, NSW border residents will only be able to enter Victoria for six reasons, including caregiving and exercise.

A Victoria Police checkpoint at Chiltern on the Hume Highway in July.Credit:Jason Robins

The rule changes come after Victoria recorded two new locally acquired cases on Monday, NSW recorded 207 new cases and after Queensland health authorities announced the state’s lockdown would continue until at least Sunday.

Both new cases are linked to the current outbreak and were in quarantine for their entire infectious period. One was a household contact of a person who went to AAMI for the Wallabies rugby game, and the other positive case is a household contact of the COVID-positive Moonee Valley traffic controller.

More than 21,400 tests were returned on Sunday, while 15,030 vaccine doses were administered. Eight Victorians remain in hospital with COVID-19, with three people in intensive care.

The daily figures come as new rules for border bubble residents were revealed on Monday.

From Wednesday, travellers in the bubble will only be able to cross the Murray River without a permit to access necessary goods and services, care reasons, work and education, vaccination, and exercise.

Health Minister Martin Foley said the changes apply for both NSW and Victorian residents.

“The outbreak in NSW continues to grow, and with projections and modelling suggesting that the position in New South Wales is likely to get worse before it gets better, it’s prudent that Victoria takes measures to make sure that the border bubble operates as safely as we possibly can,” he said.

“We really don’t make these changes lightly. We know that will have an impact on many border residents, but we also know that an outbreak of the Delta variant on our doorstep will have an even more negative impact on our border communities.”

Fines for those who cross the border into Victoria for unnecessary reasons are up to $5452.

Changes to group bookings flagged for Victoria

Mr Foley also announced another change to the state’s COVID-19 rules: there will no longer be limits to group bookings for hospitality venues, tours and gyms.

However, Mr Foley said that the broader density limits that were announced last week will continue to apply.

“Whilst the overall limit of 100 or 300 inside or outside will continue to apply, the group booking limit of 10 will be removed,” he said. “That was in response to some suggestions that came forward from industry, as to how to best address that issue.”

The group booking rule will change from 11.59pm on Tuesday, Mr Foley said.

“As the Chief Health Officer has shown by just that tweak for group bookings, the public health team are always open to sensible suggestions, but equally the team made it pretty clear that the two-week arrangement was in place for that careful, stepped process of managing the Delta variant of concern.”

Almost 7000 waiting to return to Victoria

Meanwhile, almost 7000 people are waiting on their application for travel into Victoria from “red” and “extreme” zones to be considered, with health authorities processing around 1000 exemption applications a day.

Victorian Health Department deputy secretary Kate Matson said due to the volume of applications from those in NSW and Queensland, they would be prioritising processing “emergency” applications.

Each application has to be independently considered by the department’s public health team, she said.

“I do want to note that approving those exemptions is rare,” she said at a coronavirus briefing on Monday.

“Most people who apply will not be successful in getting that exemption. For those who do, it tends to be some really compelling compassionate or emergency grounds, such as end-of-life reasons, attending funerals and so on.

“We really do understand for people in those difficult circumstances it can be really stressful, waiting for the exemption results, and I reassure you that we are working through those as quickly as we can.”

There are now just 56 exposure sites listed in Victoria, down from the more than 300 exposure sites listed at the height of the Victoria outbreak.

A return to ‘doughnut days’ soon: Sutton

Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said Victoria will soon be able to enjoy “proper days of zero” cases, as the number of primary close contacts required to be in quarantine drops.

“We’ll get additional cases over the coming days, but they’ll get fewer and fewer,” he told reporters on Saturday.

“But at some point in time, in the next week or so, we will run out of individuals who are close contacts who could test positive, and we will have those proper days of zero again.”

Data released by the Department of Health on Sunday revealed that of 204 COVID-19 positives in Victoria since July 12, there were just 25 cases in people who had received at least one dose of the vaccine.

Only 10 were fully vaccinated, with none hospitalised due to the virus and all either asymptomatic or suffering only mild symptoms.

With Annika Smethurst

Ashleigh McMillan is a breaking news reporter at The Age. Got a story? Email me at a.mcmillan@theage.com.au

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