By Cam Lucadou-Wells
A contentious stage-4 ban on driving to exercise has been lifted by the state’s Chief Health Officer.
A Department of Health and Human Services spokesperson said people must take their daily exercise at the “closest practicable location within five kilometres of home”.
“You may drive to a location such as a park or running track within your 5km radius to exercise, ensuring you are exercising for a maximum of one hour, once a day.
“We all need to make sacrifices to ensure we stop the spread of this deadly disease and protect the lives of Victorians.”
Under the direction, the commute or drive to exercise is included in the one-hour time limit.
The direction will be revised from Friday 21 August, but police would immediately stop enforcing the previous rule that banned “travelling in a vehicle to exercise”, according to the DHHS.
Meanwhile, in another revision, Covid-19 reported cases in Greater Dandenong have decreased by one in the past 24 hours.
As of 19 August, the council area has accumulated 394 cases. Active cases have also dropped from 206 to 200.
Casey’s infections rose by 12 to 809 cases. Its active cases also dropped from 355 to 349.
Victoria’s active cases also dropped by 119. The total stood at 7155 as of 19 August.
Its daily increase of 216 was also the lowest for several weeks.
However 12 further aged care residents died, raising the death toll to 363. There are 2040 active cases in aged care.
The Outlook Gardens aged-care facility cluster at Dandenong North total remained at 111.
There are 675 hospital patients with Covid-19, including 44 in intensive care.
More than 1000 health care workers are currently infected.
On 19 August, Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton flagged revising the travel-to-exercise rule, saying people should not be “too constrained” in order to get exercise.
He said confusion may stem from “literally 150 pages of legal directions” that had to be issued by the DHHS for stage-4.
“There’ll always be elements that come after the fact. I’m happy to look at them in fine detail.”
Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Rick Nugent said he was not aware of many drivers being fined on their way to exercise.
“I’m not sure that that’s necessarily been a particular problem.
“We essentially enforce the directions as they’re written by the Chief Health Officer.”
Victoria Police can issue on the spot fines of up to $1,652 for individuals and up to $9,913 for businesses for refusing or failing to comply with CHO directions.
