Like us, you might have whiplash from how frequently coronavirus restriction rules have changed in South Australia. The second stage of the easing of restrictions was originally scheduled for June 8, before being brought forward to June 5 and now June 1.
Licensed premises such as pubs, bars and wineries were initially slated to reopen during stage two, before Premier Steven Marshall permitted them to open on May 22 following confusion over licensing categories.
Restrictions have already lifted on regional travel (including camping), university tutorials, libraries, auctions and lap swimming. Here are the dos and don’ts of the new rules, kicking in today.
Socialising
Limits on indoor and outdoor gatherings will increase to 20 people, including hosts. That means a household of five people can host 15 guests for a small house-party, or 20 people from different households can meet in the park for a picnic.
Eating and drinking
We’ve been allowed to dine-in at restaurants and cafes for a week now, but with capacity capped at just 10 people, many venues decided it wasn’t worth opening. But as of today, venues will be allowed to admit up to 80 people (20 per room or segregated area), as long as they have enough space to adhere to the four-square-metre rule.
The upped capacity means you can expect your favourite bar or pub to reopen any day now (that goes for wineries and breweries too). Because patrons must be seated and only table service is permitted, you can’t get your drink at the bar, but you may now order alcohol without food. (Check out our live list of reopened restaurants, bars and cafes – we recommend booking in advance.) Venues must also complete a Covid-safe plan before reopening.
Getting out and about
A big change is that galleries, museums, cinemas and theatres can reopen with the aforementioned 80/20 limit and under physical-distancing rules. Likewise, nail salons, spas, tattoo parlours, and massage parlours and other beauty businesses can have up to 20 customers, as long as they’re safely spaced out.
Swimming pools can reopen for up to 20 swimmers at a time (still limited to one person per four square metres), and swimmers may have one caregiver in attendance (who must keep 1.5 metres distance from other caregiver spectators). Communal changerooms and shower facilities remain closed.
Outdoor training is permitted for both contact and non-contact sports, but outdoor competition is only permitted for non-contact sports (for up to 20 participants). Outdoor contact competition will resume on June 25. Indoor training is permitted for non-contact sports only (indoor contact training will resume on June 25).
Gyms and fitness classes may also reopen with a limit of 20 people per room (excluding staff and trainers) for individual workouts. Group fitness classes and activities are capped at 10 participants per room.
Weddings, funerals and religious ceremonies
More people may attend significant occasions: up to 20 people at weddings (including the celebrant and couple) and up to 50 people at funerals (plus the officiant). Attendees will need to provide their name and either a phone number or email address for contact tracing. Places of worship and religious ceremonies can have up to 20 attendees, plus those running the service.
Next Steps
Next on the agenda for the state government: larger gatherings, non-seated hospitality and fitness classes for more than 10 people; contact sport (competition); the reopening of nightclubs, shisha bars, the casino, gaming venues, stadiums and larger entertainment venues, food courts, spas and saunas, indoor playgrounds and amusement arcades; and the lifting of state border restrictions.
South Australia still has restrictions in place, and minimal social contact is recommended to minimise the spread of coronavirus. If you’re concerned about visiting businesses or public spaces, or have questions about self-isolation and coronavirus testing, check the latest advice from SA Health.
