ACT Health says all children are included in indoor and outdoor gathering limits from Friday as Canberra lockdown restrictions change

ACT Health has moved to clarify rules around household-visitor limits and outdoor-gathering caps after confusion hours before the capital's lockdown rules change.

Children of all ages will be included in the limits, meaning parents cannot take their children to visit other houses.

Restrictions will be tweaked on Friday to allow two people to visit another house for the first time in almost two months.

Mr Barr said on Thursday young children who require parental care would be allowed to accompany their parents to visit a household, but urged caution and for parents to avoid unnecessary trips.

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ACT Health later clarified the situation, saying children will be included in the limit number, meaning two parents cannot take children with them if they visit family or friends.

Only one parent can take one child with them. ACT Health will allow one parent to take multiple children if the children cannot be left unattended at home.

Asked if a family of five - two parents and three children - could attend a house or gather with another family in a park, ACT Health said: "No".

"Only two people can visit a household at any one time. This limit includes children.

"However, if one parent or guardian is visiting a household and has more than one child who cannot be left at home, they are permitted to take them.

"The intention of this direction is not to allow lots of people to visit a household at one time as we continue to manage this outbreak."

Children in NSW were at one point counted in household visitor limits, but those rules have been changed.

The ACT restrictions were adjusted with grandparents at the front of health officials' minds. Their thought was allowing two visitors would give grandparents greater contact with families, but it is also set to increase travel between other households.

Mr Barr advised grandparents to visit their children and grandchildren rather than inviting families of more than two into their home.

The government is concerned about the risk to children when restrictions are eased again on October 15, with most to then return to school by October 29.

Young people have been the most affected of the Delta outbreak in Canberra, with schools and childcare centres identified as exposure locations.

The ACT recorded 31 new cases on Thursday and Mr Barr said household transmission posed one of the biggest risks in Canberra.

"The biggest cause of transmission of the virus is household close contacts. So let's not have this important opportunity for families to reunite face-to-face for the first time in a while be a super spreader event," he said.

"The idea is not to have lots of people in houses. The last thing I think any grandparent or parent ... the gift they would not want to give this weekend is COVID.

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"If there's any unvaccinated person in the household, there's a risk. It's safer to do it outside and if everyone is vaccinated."

Here's everything you need to know when the rules change.

Two people can visit another household at any one time, for any reason. If visiting a household for childcare purposes, more than two children can visit.

"The intention of this direction is not to allow lots of people to visit a household at one time as we continue to manage this outbreak," an ACT Health spokesperson said.

One household, or up to five people, can gather outdoors for exercise or non-organised recreation for up to four hours.

Yes. Children of all ages are included in the two-person limit for household visits and the five-person limit for outdoor gatherings. The only time when more than two people can attend a house is when one parent has two or more children who cannot be left unsupervised.

Two parents with a baby cannot visit another house, with ACT Chief Minister advising grandparents to make the visit rather than having family visit them.

There has been confusion about whether children were exempt from the limits, but Mr Barr warned against "super-spreader" family reunions this weekend.

Non-essential retail businesses are allowed to operate click and collect or click and deliver services with no more than five people in the business at any one time, or one person per four square metres, whichever is less.

Outdoor bootcamps and personal training can recommence, with no more than two people, excluding instructors. Outdoor and contactless coaching activities with no more than two people, excluding the coach, are also included.

Nature reserves and national parks are reopening for recreational purposes.

Preventative dental services are available once more.

Masks will continue to be required at all times upon leaving home, including in workplaces, if you are aged 12 years and over.

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