Western Australia’s Perth, Peel and South West regions have entered a five-day lockdown.
It’s resulted in a major change for the way people in these areas live their lives.
So what are the COVID lockdown rules for Perth and the regions, and how will they affect you? We break down the Government’s rules for you below.
When can I leave home?
You can only leave home for essential reasons.
They include:
- Shopping for essentials and medicine
- Accessing medical or health care services
- Exercise, but only within your neighbourhood for one hour per day
- Work, if you cannot do so from home
You also can’t have visitors, unless they are there to care for you if you are vulnerable.
There are some exemptions for people who need to travel to care for a vulnerable community member, and on compassionate grounds.
If you are visiting the Perth or Peel region from elsewhere you are being asked to stay there until the lockdown is over.
Should I wear a mask?
First and foremost, you are only able to leave your home for one of the above four reasons.
If that is the case, a mask is required at all times outside.
If you work indoors, wearing a mask in your workplace is mandatory.
If you are catching public transport, you must also wear a mask.
If there’s more than one person in the car, everyone has to wear a mask.
What if I don’t have a mask?
Police can fine people, but State Emergency Coordinator and Police Commissioner Chris Dawson said they would only do so if people ignored warnings.
Where possible, officers would be handing out masks to people who don’t have their own.
Mr Dawson also encouraged people to make their own masks, if they don’t have one already.
He says he has asked police to act with discretion.
Under the current rules, there are a number of exceptions to wearing a mask, including:
- Children under 12
- Those with an illness or disability that makes wearing a face mask unsuitable
- Those engaged in teaching, lecturing or broadcasting
- While eating and drinking
- When asked to remove a mask for identification purposes
- Prisoners or detainees in a place of custody
What exercise can I do?
Those wanting to go for a jog can do so, but they must wear a mask.
“You can walk, you can run, but in our rules, and I’ve checked this personally with our Chief Health Officer, you must wear a mask at all times,” Mr Dawson said.
Obviously people are not required to wear a mask while swimming, but they must stay within five kilometres of their home whenever exercising.
“We know it’s hot weather, but you can’t just simply say I’m going to drive 25 kilometres to the beach,” he said.
You can exercise on your own, or with another member of your household.
The WA Government has clarified that those with children can exercise in a group of up to a maximum of five members of the same household, provided no more than two adults are members of the group.
So one parent could take four children out to exercise, or two parents could take three children.
Two adult housemates could exercise together, but three could not, even if they all live in the same house.
Who is an essential worker?
People working in childcare, hardware stores and banks are among those classed as “essential workers”.
The Government has published the full list of essential workers, which covers about 30 sectors, including those working in the mining and resources industries.
“They generate about one third of the nation’s GDP, so they are essential to keep the Australian economy going,” the Commissioner told ABC Radio.
“What we have seen is very responsible behaviour by the resources sector.
“They have their own testing, they’re very scrupulous.
“It’s not only just in the resources sector’s interest, it’s in everyone’s interests that we keep our factories and our mines and all [those] sort of operations running.”
Mr Dawson said while the list of essential industries was extensive, people should still stay at home wherever possible.
“We’re not looking for excuses for people to go to work, we want people to stay home,” he said.
“If you must go to work and you’re an essential worker, then clearly act responsibly.”
Is the SafeWA app mandatory in supermarkets?
Yes, it will be compulsory to use the app in supermarkets and takeaway food and coffee outlets from 6:00am tomorrow.
There was already a plan to extend the scheme to supermarkets from February 12, but Premier Mark McGowan has brought that forward, urging people to use the app, or leave their name on a paper register.
Independent Grocers Association President John Cummings told ABC Perth most supermarkets have the app clearly displayed, yet few shoppers were using it during yesterday’s panic-buying.
“The QR codes went out the window, nobody bothered,” Mr Cummings said.
Mr Cummings described the panic buying as “unbridled chaos”, saying supermarkets did two to three times more trade yesterday than on a normal Sunday.
He moved to assure shoppers the state’s hundreds of supermarkets were not going to run out of supplies.
“There will be over a million cartons of stock delivered today and every day,” he said.
“We are not going to run out … we really aren’t.”
Will product limits be introduced?
Both Coles and Woolworths will open an hour earlier, at 7:00am WST tomorrow, to ease congestion in supermarkets.
Coles WA general manager Pat Zanetti said buying limits were also being introduced.
“Toilet paper and paper towels are down to one per customer,” he said.
“And then a number of items like pasta, flower, rice, eggs, sugar and canned meat are all two products per customer.”
Mr Zanetti said face masks had sold out yesterday and stock would be replaced tonight.
“We will probably open tomorrow with masks but we wouldn’t have enough to supply all of WA so it’s going to be first in, best dressed.”
Where can I travel in WA?
People are being asked not to leave the Perth, Peel or South West regions for the length of the lockdown.
The government says people can only enter the lockdown areas, or travel between them, “to access or deliver essential health and emergency services and other essential requirements”.
Police Commissioner Chris Dawson clarified that under the rules, Perth and Peel regions are considered one—meaning people can freely travel between them.
Can I still travel to WA from interstate?
The WA Premier Mark McGowan has recommended that other states and territories put a stop to travel into WA.
Should I get tested?
If you have symptoms — yes.
But also if you live or work in the Falkirk Avenue, Maylands area including Coles, Liquorland and the Maylands shopping precinct you must present for a test.
You must also get tested if you have been to any of the following exposure sites:
- Coles Maylands supermarket on 25 January from 8pm to 10pm
- KFC Maylands on 27 January from 6pm to midnight
- Mitsubishi Motors car dealership in Midland on 27 January from 7pm to close
- Spudshed, Coventry Village in Morley on 27 January from 8pm to midnight
- Perth Arena Grab N Go Convenience Store on 27 January from 2pm to 3pm
- ECU Joondalup on 28 January from 11am to 2pm
- VFS Global Indian Visa Services on Adelaide Terrace in Perth on 28 January from 12:30pm to 3pm
- Halal Grocery Store in Cloverdale on 28 January from 7pm to 9pm
- Venus Ladies and Gentleman Hair Design Maylands hairdressers on 29 January from 1pm to 3pm
- Perth Convention Centre on 29 January from 4pm to 6pm
- Nedlands Family Practice GP surgery on 29 January from 5pm to 6pm
- Chemist Warehouse North Perth Pharmacy on 29 January from 5.30pm to 7.30pm
- 7-Eleven Ascot petrol station on 29 January from 8pm to 9pm
- Coles Maylands supermarket on 29 January from 8pm 9pm
- Puma Service Station in Burswood on 30 January from 11am to 12 midday.
- Coles Express/Shell Service Station in Cloverdale on 30 January from 12 midday to 3pm
- Pharmacy 777 at Maylands Park Shopping Centre 30 January from 2.30pm to 4pm.
These are the venues that must close
A range of venues and businesses that are closed in lockdown, including:
- pubs, bars and clubs
- gyms
- indoor sporting facilities
- playgrounds and skate parks
- cinemas and entertainment venues
- the casino
- religious venues
- libraries
- restaurants and cafes (but they can still open for takeaway)
Funerals and weddings will also be impacted.
Funerals will be reduced to 10 guests and weddings scheduled for the next five days must be cancelled.
What is happening with schools and childcare?
WA Premier Mark McGowan said public and private schools in affected areas would close.
However those outside the lockdown zones will be open for students to attend class.
Mr McGowan described it as an extension of the school holidays for those in the affected zones.
It is not clear whether learning from home options will be offered by some institutions.
Mr McGowan said the Government would work with the private schools to look at how they deal with their boarders who had already arrived for the new school year.
“It is an issue, at this stage they are not any particular risk, we have got no indication that they are at risk but will obviously need to look at how we lock them down in the next week,” he said.
Childcare centres will remain open for the children of people who cannot work from home.
Will my surgery go ahead?
Elective surgeries for category two and three will be suspended Tuesday, but category one and urgent category two surgeries will continue.
Patients are being asked not to contact hospitals, but rather wait for hospitals to contact them about rescheduling their appointments.
How did the patient contract COVID-19?
A security guard in his 20s was working at the Sheraton Four Points hotel which is one of the locations where international travellers are being quarantined.
The State Government said he was working on the same floor where there was a positive case of the highly transmissible UK variant of the virus.
The Premier said it was possible he had caught this variant.
The guard worked two 12 hour shifts on both the 26th and 27th of January.
Before this, on January 15, 17 and 23 he tested negative to the virus as part of routine testing of hotel quarantine workers.
Exactly how he caught the infection is under investigation.
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