A snap seven-day lockdown has been announced for Victoria, with residents around the state only permitted to leave their home for five reasons.
Acting Premier James Merlino said the "circuit breaker restrictions" were in response to the speed of the virus, which was outrunning contact tracing efforts.
"Our contact tracers are identifying and locking down first ring, second ring, and third ring contacts within 24 hours. That's faster than ever," he said.
"And yet this variant is still moving faster."
From 11.59pm (AEST) tonight, until 11.59pm on June 3, Victoria will return to a state of lockdown.
LIVE UPDATES: Vaccination among five reasons Victorians can leave home from tonight
Can I leave home?
During the lockdown, only five reasons are permitted for leaving home.
They are: shopping for food and supplies, authorised work and education, care and caregiving, exercise (for up to two hours and with one other person), and getting vaccinated.
People can only exercise and shop within 5km of their home, but if there are no shops in that radius, people are permitted to travel to their closest venue. Shopping is also limited to one person a day for every household.
Facemasks will be mandatory inside and outdoors, except in your own home.
Private and public gatherings are not permitted, but people will be allowed to visit their intimate partner, and people living alone can form a single-person bubble with somebody else.
READ MORE: States declare Melbourne a COVID-19 hotspot
What will be open?
Restaurants, pubs and cafes can provide takeaway services only.
Essential services including supermarkets, food stores, petrol stations, banks, bottle-shops, pharmacies and other retail stores and provide click-and-collect services.
Hotels, clubs TABs and casinos will be closed, along with swimming pools, spas, community venues, museums, and other indoor and outdoor entertainment.
Community events such as RISING in Melbourne will also be cancelled.
Can I visit loved ones in care?
Aged care facilities will impose strict limits on visits for residents.
In hospitals, visitors will only be permitted for end-of-life reasons, to support a partner during birth, or for a parent accompanying a child.
What about weddings and funerals?
A maximum of 10 people, along with the people running the service, may attend a funeral.
Weddings cannot proceed, although exceptions can be granted for end-of-life or deportation reasons.
Religious services and activities are also banned, except through broadcast with a maximum of five people.
How are schools and sports affected?
Schools will have to move to remote learning, except for vulnerable children and the children of authorised workers.
Higher education will move to remote learning only.
Childcare and kindergartens will be open.
Approved professional sporting events will proceed but proceed without crowds, including AFL matches.
The AFL managed to rush Essendon and Carlton out of Melbourne yesterday, but Hawthorn and Gold Coast's game in Darwin was postponed.
It's understood Metricon Stadium on the Gold Coast is another option to host the AFL game.
When will it end?
Mr Merlino said if the government could lift the restrictions before the June 3 date set, it would.
However, Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said he believed Victoria needed to "brace itself" for the full seven days.
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