By Ewen McRae
Melton continues to edge closer to a Covid-normal future, as a number of restrictions eased this week and case numbers continue to fall.
Just 10 active cases remained in the Melton municipality on Sunday, while Moorabool had zero active cases for the third straight week.
The falling numbers came as premier Daniel Andrews confirmed a number of changes to lockdown restrictions that took effect this week, and flagged further easing was not far off.
The five kilometre movement restriction has been expanded to 25km from this week, while the two-hour time limit for exercising and socialising has been lifted.
Tennis courts, golf courses and skateparks have re-opened, while hairdressers have also resumed trading, along with outdoor real estate auctions with reduced capacity.
Groups of up to ten people from two households are also able to gather in outdoor public places.
“Not so long ago we had 725 cases and there was simply no way we could have a debate, a perfectly legitimate debate about how to open, went to open, how to do that,” Mr Andrews said.
“But Victorians, in every community, from every background, every circumstance, have stayed the course and we just have a little longer to go, just a little longer to go in order to see off the second wave, defeat the second wave, and then to find the normal and to begin the process of rebuilding.”
Moorabool will also have restrictions eased further, in line with the rest of regional Victoria.
Hospitality businesses in Moorabool can host up to 40 customers indoors and up to 70 people outdoors, while libraries and toy libraries will re-open and small numbers of visitors to households will be allowed.
Mr Andrews said at this stage they planned to announce further changes on November 1, but another week of low numbers could mean those announcements are brought forward to this Sunday.
