COVID Road Map Announcement

Following the announcement made by Premier Daniel Andrews on Sunday 6 September 2020 about the roadmap out of lockdown for Victoria, along with the community of Melbourne, the disability community has been placed under an enormous amount of disruption and we are very aware that many people are finding it very difficult at home and if we can help by supporting someone to return to a program – even for a few hours per week we will.

If you would like to access a program or support service during this time please speak with your SASI contact. Our staff are wearing PPE and are well trained in infection control practices.

For SASI Services there is NO CHANGE until at least 28 September 2020

Based on Sundays announcement there remain only four reasons to leave home:

  • shopping for food or other essential items
  • outdoor exercise and recreation
  • permitted work and caregiving
  • compassionate reasons or to seek medical treatment

From 11:59pm on 13 September 2020 the following changes apply:

  • a shift in the curfew from 9.00pm until 5.00am
  • limited in-person visits allowed for single-person households and single parents, and limited outdoor meetings for other households
  • two people or a household can meet outdoors for a maximum of two hours for social interaction, exercise or recreation within 5km of their home
  • people living alone or single parents can nominate one person with whom they can form a ‘single social bubble’. The ‘single social bubble’ allows you to visit each other for social connection. Single parents with dependents (including young children) who cannot be left alone will be allowed to include the dependents in the bubble. If you live in metropolitan Melbourne you can only form a bubble with someone in metropolitan Melbourne, not regional Victoria
  • if the person nominated to be in the person bubble lives with other people, you can only visit if they are at home alone. Alternatively, they can visit you at home
  • professional respite care for people with complex needs is allowed
  • outdoor recreation – must be within 5km from your home
  • outdoor playgrounds will be opened
  • outdoor exercise has increased to two hours per day total, split into a maximum of two sessions. You can exercise with one other person or members of your household.

For more information on the changes please go to : https://www.vic.gov.au/first-step-coronavirus-road-to-recovery

The Government announced “trigger points” or targets in the average daily number of new cases that we must reach before moving to the next phase-out of lockdown. The goal during this step is to contain widespread transmission of the virus and to get to very low community transmission. This means from 28 September reaching an average of 30-50 cases per day over a 14-day period, and subject to advice from our public health officials means we can move to the next step.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your cooperation and continued support – there is light at the end of the tunnel.

We trust that you are staying well during these COVID times, continue to take care and stay safe.

Kath Ferry, CEO