The Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) has confirmed its strict coronavirus lockdown will end on Friday.
Andrew Barr said on Tuesday that stay-at-home restrictions for Canberrans will be lifted as planned at midnight on Thursday night, marking an end to lockdown in Australia’s capital after about 64 days.
From Friday, restaurants, cafes, bars, non-essential retail, hairdressers and personal care services in Canberra will reopen subject to density limits. Up to 25 Canberrans will be allowed to gather outdoors and up to five people will be allowed to visit another household.
Barr said COVID-19 case numbers would rise as lockdown ends but that 72 percent of over 12-year-olds in the ACT are now fully vaccinated against the virus.
“Our first dose levels indicate that this will reach close to 99 per cent fully vaccinated towards the end of November,” he told reporters. “Case numbers are expected to increase as restrictions are eased. But being fully vaccinated provides you with protection.”
Nationally Australia reported 1,854 new locally-acquired COVID-19 cases on Tuesday morning — the fewest since late September — as the country continues to battle the third wave of infections.
New South Wales (NSW), Australia’s most populous state with Sydney as the capital city, recorded 360 new local cases and five deaths.
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