As planned, the Perth and Peel post-lockdown restrictions are set to be significantly eased further from 12.01am Saturday, May 1.
The easing of restrictions will see Perth and Peel move closer to the return of pre-lockdown life, but a small number of transitional measures will remain in place until Saturday, May 8.
The Chief Health Officer has advised Perth and Peel will need to see through the full 14-day incubation period before pre-lockdown life can fully resume.
The following eased transitional restrictions will take effect from 12.01am Saturday, May 1 until 12.01am Saturday, May 8:
- Masks are not required outside except where physical distancing is not possible;
- Masks are mandatory for indoor public venues, including in the workplace and on public transport. Exemptions apply including for medical reasons and primary school aged children or younger. People should use common sense and take a mask with them whenever they leave home;
- Anyone who has been in the Perth or Peel regions since April 17 but has since travelled to another region must also wear a mask subject to the above conditions;
- 30-person limit in all homes for private gatherings;
- Nightclubs can open subject to the four square metre rule, with masks mandatory;
- Indoor and outdoor community sport can resume with spectators;
- Indoor weddings and funerals permitted for up to 200 guests without an exemption;
- Outdoor gatherings can take place with up to 500 people without a COVID event plan;
- One household can visit a patient per day in a hospital, aged care or disability facility; and
- Major stadiums, including Optus Stadium, RAC Arena and HBF Park can operate at 75 per cent capacity.
The following pre-lockdown measures will resume from 12.01am Saturday, May 1:
- 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;
- Gyms, fitness centres, dance studios, beauty salons and hairdressers can open with the two square metre rule in place; and
- Public venues, including community centres, libraries, museums, galleries and recreation centres, can open with the two square metre rule in place.
All businesses, workplaces and higher education can now reopen.
All school and childcare centres to remain open, with the mandatory mask rule applying to all school staff and secondary students. Masks are not required for primary school students or for staff when they are teaching.
All elective surgeries are to resume. Places of worship can reopen to 100 per cent capacity.
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.
The casino can reopen subject to the two square metre rule.
It is vital that all Western Australians ensure they are registering their contact details at businesses and venues where contact registers are mandatory. The SafeWA app is an efficient and safe way to assist contact tracing if it is required.
For more information on post-lockdown plans, visit https://www.wa.gov.au
As stated by Premier Mark McGowan:
"I'd like to personally thank each and every person in the Perth and Peel regions for their efforts during this difficult time.
"We are not out of the woods yet but so far things are looking very positive.
"We need to see out the full incubation period before we can fully return to pre-lockdown life, but tonight I'm pleased to announce that from Saturday we can significantly ease restrictions.
"The easing of restrictions means all businesses and workplaces will be able to reopen.
"It will see some of our hardest hit sectors - like hospitality - snap back to pre-lockdown restrictions - providing welcome relief for many small operators.
"It is my hope - and my expectation - that from Saturday, May 8, these relatively minor restrictions will be able to come off - and we completely return to where we were at before the lockdown."
As stated by Health Minister Roger Cook:
"The patience and resilience of the Western Australian community has been outstanding.
"This lockdown has been very effective in stopping any potential community transmission of the virus.
"It has been helped by a swift and thorough contact tracing effort to identify, isolate and test hundreds of close and casual contacts.
"Now we can ease the restrictions and resume enjoying some of the hard-earned freedoms of the past year.
"It's important that we need to see out the incubation period completely, which is why mask wearing must continue to happen.
"If you leave your home, and you're outdoors but can't physically distance, you must wear your mask. As soon as you go to a public indoor venue - this includes catching public transport and going into the shops - you must put your mask on.
"It was also very pleasing to see the sharp increase in people using the SafeWA app, with more than two million check-ins on Tuesday.
"I urge everyone to make using SafeWA a habit.
"It is also important to remember that from next Monday anyone 50 years of age and over can 'Roll up for WA' to get vaccinated."
