Dear Friends of IFISS,
We have set out below the relevant restriction changes, which will take place across Victoria at 11:59pm on Thursday 21st October 2021.
- Metropolitan & Regional Victoria are still operating separately.
- Only permitted workers are allowed to travel to Regional Victoria.
- If a person from Metropolitan Melbourne attends a funeral in regional Victoria, Melbourne restrictions follow them.
- Masks will still be required both indoors and outdoors for all Victorians.
In-Home Funerals- Up to 10 people (including dependents) per day will be able to visit homes in both regional and metropolitan Melbourne. To ensure this is done safely, it’s highly recommended that Victorians only permit people aged 12 years and over who are fully vaccinated to visit them at home
Wakes- unless stipulated, this area usually follows hospitality rules, but always check with your venue for their own process and restrictions.
- In regional Victoria, indoor settings – like restaurants, cafes– will increase from 10 to 30 people per venue, if everyone is fully vaccinated.
- Indoor settings like restaurants and cafes will be able to reopen with up to 20 people indoors with density limits, and only if all attendees – including workers – are fully vaccinated. If vaccination status unknown then it reverts to previous restrictions.
Metropolitan Melbourne
Dear Friends of IFISS,
Please note that these restrictions are in place up until 5.59pm Friday 29th October 2021 and as of 6pm Friday 29th October 2021 more restrictions will be lifted.
We must preface this email by saying, YOU MUST check with each cemetery trust and venue prior to confirming your booking of their interpretation and policy on Funeral Workers Vaccinations and funeral numbers.
We have attached a copy of the Directions from Acting Chief Health Officer in accordance with emergency powers arising from declared state of emergency Stay Safe Directions (Metropolitan Melbourne) (No 5) Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008 (Vic) we direct you to page 17 clause (9).
& Stay Safe Directions (Regional Victoria) (No 15)Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008 (Vic)Section 200
Also attached is the Total Road map for you to consider in advanced. This information could help you to forward plan for any problems.
Metropolitan Melbourne( Up until 5.59pm Friday 29th October 2021
- Home funerals are allowed 10 members of the public, this does not include members of the household(inc. their intimate person), minimum funeral staff and infants under 12months of age)
- 20 persons attending the funeral excluding the persons necessary to conduct the funeral provided that all persons aged 16 years or over are fully vaccinated or an excepted person including the persons necessary to conduct the funeral;
- or (ii) 10 persons attending the funeral excluding the persons necessary to conduct the funeral if any person aged 16 years or over is not fully vaccinated and is not an excepted person, or their vaccination status is unknown;
Regional Victoria( up until 5.59pm Friday 29th October 2021)
- indoor space, no more than: (i) 30 persons in attendance at the funeral excluding the persons necessary to conduct the funeral provided that all persons aged 16 years or over are fully vaccinated or an excepted person including the persons necessary to conduct the funeral;
- or (ii) 20 persons attending the funeral excluding the persons necessary to conduct the funeral if any person aged 16 years or over is not fully vaccinated and is not an excepted person, or their vaccination status is unknown
The requirements for a funeral held in an outdoor space in Regional Victoria during the stay safe period are that: there are either no more than:
- 100 persons in attendance at the funeral excluding those necessary to conduct the funeral provided that all persons attending the funeral aged 16 years or over are fully vaccinated or an excepted person including the persons necessary to conduct the funeral;
- or (ii) 20 persons attending the funeral excluding the persons necessary to conduct the funeral if any person aged 16 years or over is not fully vaccinated and is not an excepted person, or their vaccination status is unknown
As of 6pm Friday 29th October 2021 the following restrictions will apply.(subject to change)
- Regional Victoria and metropolitan Melbourne will move forward on the same restrictions, enabling people from Melbourne to travel to regional Victoria and interstate again.
- no caps subject to a DQ4 (1 per 4sqm) limit, if all staff and patrons are fully vaccinated. Most outdoor settings will remain at DQ2 (1 per 2sqm) limit up to 500, fully vaccinated.
- These indoor and outdoor settings will also apply to funerals if all attendees are fully vaccinated.
- Caps of 30 people will apply for funerals if vaccination status is unknown.
- Masks will remain mandatory indoors but are no longer required outdoors. It is highly recommended you continue to wear a mask outdoors where you cannot physically distance
On the advice of our public health team, all workers – in Melbourne and regional Victoria – on the Authorised Worker list will require their first COVID-19 vaccine dose by Friday, 15 October in order to continue working onsite. They will need to be fully vaccinated by 26 November
We hope this information is made a little simpler for you. Please ensure you have a QR Marshall and/or your venue has provided one. If you have any questions or further information, please contact us anytime.
These difficulties are hopfully coming to an end and soon we will be able to move freely and enjoy each others company and that of our family and friends.
Kind regards,
IFISS Team Support
