Latest COVID-19 outbreak in Melbourne – what you need to know to help us all stay safe
**Update Thursday 27 May**
All campuses will be temporarily closed from 11.59pm Thursday 27 May to 11.59pm Thursday 3 June, except to essential staff and those students living on campus, as Victoria enters a seven-day circuit-breaker lockdown.
We will continue to closely monitor the situation and provide advice if any changes arise. Read more
This article is superseded by Victoria will enter a statewide lockdown from tonight: what this means for you
The latest outbreak of COVID-19 locally transmitted cases in Melbourne continues to demonstrate our need for vigilance in practising our COVIDSafe measures to keep our entire community safe.
With new COVID-19 cases identified in Melbourne, the Victorian government has reintroduced COVIDSafe measures across Victoria to keep our community safe.
Victoria has launched a full public health response, and extensive contact tracing is underway after nine people have tested positive to COVID-19.
Here are the key things you need to know:
- Face masks will need to be worn indoors, unless an exemption applies. The face mask requirement applies everyone aged 12 years and older. It includes workplaces.
- Private gatherings in the home will be limited to five visitors per day.
- Public gatherings will be limited to 30 people.
Victorians who live in Greater Melbourne and need to travel to regional Victoria can still do so however, the restrictions travel with them.
Our campuses continue to be COVIDSafe places, with a recent DHHS random spot check indicating we are meeting all government and health guidelines.
Density rules to workplaces and universities have not changed so all on-campus activities can continue as planned.
If you have concerns that you may have been at an exposure site, you must visit the Victorian government exposure site listing and follow the instructions explicitly.
The entire community must respond to this latest outbreak by following the government and health guidelines.
What you need to keep doing
- Practise good hygiene and regularly and thoroughly wash your hands.
- Maintain physical distancing where you can; keep at least 1.5 metres away from others.
- Carry a face mask when you leave home unless you have a lawful reason not to. It is strongly recommended you wear one whenever you cannot keep 1.5 metres distance from others.
- Self-check and stay home if you’re unwell – use the Symptom Checker testing and quarantine guidance.
- Get tested if you have any symptoms at all.
- Complete the Deakin’s COVIDSafe module prior to attending the campus for the first time.
- COVIDSafe Check-in – record your attendance in on-campus locations through the COVIDSafe check-in QR codes.
- If you are worried you will lose pay while you wait for the test result, or you have tested positive and need to self-isolate, you may be eligible for a worker support payment.
Latest outbreak
If you have concerns that you may have been at an exposure site, you must visit the Victorian government exposure site listing and follow the instructions explicitly.
When to get tested
If you are experiencing flu-like symptoms or suspect you may have contracted COVID-19, assess your symptoms via the Symptom Checker and seek medical attention.
Follow the latest guidelines for getting tested.
Our responsibility
We must remain alert and not be alarmed. It is the responsibility of our entire community to follow the guidelines from government and health officials to keep our community safe.