Eerie seems to best describe the streets of Melbourne. Since the Stage 4 restrictions went into place on the 6th of August, Melbourne looks like the landscape of an incredibly cliched horror film.
With almost 8,000 active cases and no signs of slowing down, everyone is anxiously awaiting to hear the impacts of a Stage 4 lockdown.
Melbourne looks like an absolute ghost town now that Stage 4 restrictions have been implemented.
The once bustling Victorian streets have multitudes of army personnel and police officers stationed at every corner. Officers have been door-knocking to make sure that anyone who has to isolate is doing so, and that no one is breaking the 8 pm to 5am curfew or 5km radius boundary unless they’re “travelling to and from work, receiving medical care, or providing care.”
A special permit that outlines why someone is allowed to be working outside their home, where they’re working, and their shift hours are necessary for being outside the house for work. Failure to obey any of these rules will result in a hefty $1,600 fine.
Premier Dan Andrews posted this helpful summary on Twitter:
Statement on Melbourne moving to Stage 4 restrictions: pic.twitter.com/mFu1Kr1NO0
— Dan Andrews (@DanielAndrewsMP) August 2, 2020
According to Melbourne City Council, pedestrian traffic is down 90% and expected to fall even further. All businesses are shut unless they’re essential services, like pharmacies, supermarkets, and medical centres, with 750,000 working from home or stood down.
So far, masks have been made mandatory for two weeks, and anti-maskers are simply not being tolerated. Andrews also released this guide on the effectiveness of masks on Twitter:
Last week, face coverings became mandatory for people living in metropolitan Melbourne and Mitchell Shire.
Now, from 11:59pm on Sunday 2 August, they’ll be mandatory for everyone in Victoria – no matter where you live.
This is why. pic.twitter.com/w3hBGgqFWu
— Dan Andrews (@DanielAndrewsMP) July 30, 2020
The outcomes of Victoria’s Stage 4 restrictions will be anxiously awaited, and fingers are crossed everywhere that these will help to alleviate the pandemic’s numbers.
