Millions of Sydneysiders are welcomed back into Victoria - except ONE council area - after the state records another zero case day
Millions of Sydneysiders will be welcomed back into Victoria as the state goes another day with zero local coronavirus infections.
Victoria reported three Covid-19 cases in hotel quarantine on Saturday morning after 15,711 tests were conducted over the past 24 hours.
The state has now gone 17 days without a locally acquired case of Covid-19.
It comes as Victoria relaxed its border closures to Sydney at 6pm on Friday, with just one LGA - Cumberland in Sydney's west - still classed as a red zone.
Millions of Sydneysiders will be welcomed back into Victoria as the state goes another day with zero local coronavirus infections . Pictured: Melburnians line up on a night out
Victorian premier Dan Andrews (pictured above) announced the easing of restrictions on Friday to interstate guests
With the exception of the Blue Mountains and Wollongong, the rest of regional NSW will now be a designated green zone.
Premier Daniel Andrews told reporters on Friday health authorities had been reviewing the situation daily to evaluate what steps could be taken.
'Those steps, of course, have to be safe,' he said.
'I'm very pleased that, following further intensive work by our public health team, the chief health officer has recommended to me, and the cabinet have agreed to the following changes.
'From 6pm tonight, all but one of the Greater Sydney LGAs that are currently red will become orange. That is to say, with the exception of Cumberland, those nine shires, or local government areas – Blacktown, Burwood, Canterbury Bay, Canterbury Bankstown, Fairfield, inner West, Parramatta and Strathfield – they'll all move from red to orange.'
People travelling to Victoria from an 'orange' zone will need to apply for a permit, get tested within 72 hours of their arrival and isolate until they receive a negative result. However they will not be barred entry.
The Cumberland LGA takes in Berala, the centre of a 35-person virus cluster, and its residents will remain locked out of Victoria.
All of Brisbane will also become a green zone, meaning residents can easily travel to Victoria.
Following months of frustration, coronavirus restrictions are being eased across Australia this weekend. Most Sydneysiders will now be allowed to enter Victoria
Covid restrictions finally eased for Victorian residents
*From Saturday January 23, home gathering limits have increased from 15 to 30 people in Victoria. It follows 16 days of zero community transmission in Victoria
*Border controls have eased, with Greater Brisbane and regional New South Wales - with the exception of Wollongong and Blue Mountains - will also move from an orange zone to a green zone, which will allow unrestricted travel into Victoria
*Greater Sydney's local government areas (LGA's) which are currently deemed as red zones of risk will become orange - with the exception of Cumberland - from 6pm on Friday
*Face masks are now only mandatory in high-risk settings such as supermarkets, shopping centres, hospitals, taxis and public transport