Face masks will remain compulsory in public and at work in Perth and Peel for another eight days after the snap lockdown ends.
More than two million West Australians will be free to leave their homes from 6pm on Friday, pending no further local COVID-19 cases.
Mark McGowan said the lockdown had “done the job it was designed to do” as he apologised for “any distress, loss or inconvenience”.
The Premier said a “post lockdown transition plan” would give the Government confidence “to begin to get back to normal” while the full 14-day incubation period runs its course.
While the South West region will return to pre-lockdown conditions from Friday evening, a host of transitional measures will be enforced for Perth and Peel until 12.01am on Sunday, February 14.
Everyone must continue to wear a mask in public and while at work, unless exempt or for outdoor vigorous exercise.
Schools will open on Monday, with the mandatory mask rule applying to all school staff and secondary students. Primary school pupils are not required to wear masks.
Masks are also compulsory for staff at childcare facilities, as well students and staff in higher education, including TAFEs and universities.
Teachers are permitted to remove their mask when at the front of the classroom to enable clear enunciation.
People who need to leave the Perth and Peel region for essential purposes must wear a mask at all times in other regions of WA.
Other restrictions in Perth and Peel next week include:
• All business and venues can reopen, except for the casino and nightclubs;
• 4sqm capacity rule and 150-person capacity at hospitality, entertainment, fitness venues and events including weddings, funerals (excluding staff);
• Community sport can involve up to 150 people including players, officials and spectators;
• Seated service only at hospitality venues;
• Dancing only permitted at weddings and dance studios;
• 20-person limit for private indoor and outdoor gatherings;
• Visits to aged care and disability care facilities restricted to compassionate grounds and advocates;
• Residential school and boarding facilities can resume with a COVID Safety Plan;
• Only essential travel including work is permitted in and out of the Perth and Peel regions to other parts of WA.
Elective surgery at public hospitals will resume and people will be contacted directly to re-schedule and re-book their appointments.
FIFO workers will be able to leave the Perth and Peel regions, but documentation will be required and they must follow strict health protocols.
From Friday, customers visiting venues with mandatory contact registers will face penalties if they fail to check-in on arrival.
Mr McGowan said he wished life could “snap back” to how it was before the security guard’s infection was detected last Saturday.
“But doing so would be too risky, it would be irresponsible. I don’t want a situation where we have to endure community transmission and the severe restrictions that brings,” he said.
“I don’t want a rolling long term lockdown. We have to do everything we can to prevent that.”
The mandatory face mask rule includes restaurants, bars and gyms. They are not required when doing vigorous exercise outdoors.
“My advice to people is if you want to go for a run and you don’t want to wear a mask, do it outside,” Mr McGowan said.
He called for patrons of pubs and restaurants to use “common sense” by putting their mask on when not eating or drinking.
The Premier said masks provided an added layer of protection and their adoption by the WA public had been outstanding.
It’ll be left to individual schools to decide whether to allow parents onto grounds for back-to-school week.
The Premier anticipated the restrictions would only be in place for a week and by Valentine’s Day, “hopefully this will be over”.
He expected restrictions from February 14 would return “Phase 4A”, namely the 2sqm rule and 60 per cent capacity at major sports venues.
“Hopefully it’s a very Happy Valentine’s Day that day for everyone across Perth, Peel and, indeed, beyond,” Mr McGowan said.
Asked if the lockdown was an overreaction, the Premier replied: “I’ve laid awake at night worrying about that.
“Was it an overreaction? I don’t think so, because let’s imagine we had not done this and we had cases out there incubating in the community and people moving around and spreading and then next week we suddenly had big eruptions of cases around Perth.
“Well then everyone would rightfully be saying, ‘Why didn’t you take action earlier?’
“The only thing that works with this virus, like the Spanish Flu in 1919, is these measures.
“There is no medicine at this point in time that kills the virus. There is no solution other than stopping movement and preventing mixing … that’s what they found in 1919 and that’s what we’re finding in 2020.”
WA Liberal leader Zak Kirkup renewed his call for a grants to be made available for small businesses forced to close during the lockdown.
“West Australians have worked hard to follow all the restrictions after this failure in hotel quarantine,” he said.
“We had hoped to see immediate support for small businesses and find it incomprehensible there is no plan for financial assistance.
“The Premier asks us to exercise common sense, but it should have been common sense to think of a plan to help small businesses in the 10 months the government has had to prepare for an outbreak.”
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2021-02-04 12:55:00Z
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