What do Victoria's new COVID-19 rules mean?

Here is what you can and can't do under the new rules:

Masks: Required indoors only in limited settings including retail, health care, aged care and justice facilities, at primary schools and on public transport/taxis/rideshare. It is recommended masks to be worn if you can't physically distance, if you have any symptoms, or if you are with people who may be vulnerable to COVID-19.

Friends and family: No limits on the number of people you can gather with in your home or in public places regardless of vaccination status.

Goods and services: Venues you can only attend if you are fully vaccinated include non-essential retail stores, personal services (e.g. a hairdresser and beauty parlour), community premises (e.g. a library) and creative arts premises, real estate services (inspection and auction).

If vaccination status isn't being checked real estate inspections can go ahead by private appointment for a single household, community facilities can host essential public support groups, support services and health services in limited numbers.

Vaccination requirements don't apply to essential retail stores (e.g. supermarkets, post office).

Going out: Venues you can attend if you are fully vaccinated include food and drink venues (e.g. restaurants and pubs), nightlife venues, entertainment venues, events, tourism venues, casinos/gaming venues and adult entertainment venues.

If you don't meet the vaccination requirements, you can't enter these venues. Vaccination requirements don't apply to food and drink venues operating for takeaway only. There are no capacity limits or density limits on venues where all patrons and workers are fully vaccinated.

Work, education and childcare: Workplaces are open, but you must be fully vaccinated if you are working somewhere that's only open for fully vaccinated people (e.g. restaurant), or if you are a worker or volunteer who is required to be vaccinated if working outside your home.

Schools, childcare centres and early childhood education are open to all ages. Masks must be worn indoors at primary school by staff, visitors and students in years 3 and above. If you are fully vaccinated, you can attend adult education (e.g. university, TAFE). If you are not fully vaccinated, you can't enter unless you cannot be taught online.

Hospitals and aged care: There are limits on attending high-risk settings, even if you're fully vaccinated. Residents at care facilities can have up to five visitors per day including dependents for any reason. We strongly recommend that all residents and visitors are fully vaccinated. Visitors to hospitals are still limited to a small number of circumstances, such as end-of-life

Weddings, funerals and worship: If everyone present is fully vaccinated, you can host or attend weddings, funerals and religious ceremonies at places of worship with no capacity limits or density limits. If vaccination status isn't being checked, these events are restricted to one person per 4 sqm up to a maximum of 50 people per facility. The cap at funerals doesn't include those required to conduct the funeral and the cap at weddings doesn't include the marrying couple, celebrant or photographer.

Workplaces: Must have a COVIDSafe Plan and keep records of everyone attending using the Service Victoria app. Workplaces must also regularly clean and disinfect shared spaces and high touch surfaces; display signage in public spaces providing information about check-in, vaccination requirements and where relevant, mask requirement. Additional obligations may apply for some industries.

Physical Activity: If you are fully vaccinated, you can attend sporting and recreation facilities (e.g. sports grounds, gyms and swimming pools) and sporting events. If you don't meet the vaccination requirements, you can't enter. Vaccination requirements don't apply to people involved in community sport (e.g. a local footy match) or people using swimming pools for essential medical care.

Travel: No limits on travel or accommodation in Victoria. It is strongly recommended that people staying in accommodation venues in Victoria (e.g. hotels, Airbnb) are fully vaccinated. Vaccination requirements still apply to relevant settings within an accommodation complex, such as a restaurant or a gym. There are no limits on leaving Victoria, but travel may be impacted by rules at your destination - check before you book. When you return, you must obtain a permit from Service Victoria and follow your permit conditions and requirements.

Exposure sites and isolation: Exposure sites will no longer be published. Instead, the Department will use the new alert function in the Service Victoria app to notify patrons of higher-risk venues where positive cases have been present - such as restaurants, gyms and nightclubs - and advise them to get tested. Individuals who test positive are strongly recommended to tell the social contacts they have spent time with and encourage them to get tested. The Department will not trace or manage these contacts. People who live with someone who has COVID-19 pose the highest transmission risk. Household contacts who have had more than four hours of contact with a case inside a household, accommodation or care setting must isolate for 7 days if fully vaccinated or 14 days if not fully vaccinated, with a PCR test required on day 0 and for release. If children under 12 are household contacts, they will be considered fully vaccinated if everyone else in their household aged over 12 is fully vaccinated. Workers exposed at work, and children who are exposed at school or early childhood centres, will need to show a negative PCR test result to return to work or school - with recommended Rapid Antigen Tests thereafter. In addition to isolation changes for contacts, people who have COVID-19 will be required to isolate for 10 days, instead of 14 days.