Current restrictions

Face Coverings:

Face masks are mandatory in the ACT (indoors and outdoors).

• Must be carried at all times.
• All individuals aged 12 years and over must wear a face mask at all times upon leaving home, including in workplaces.
• Only children in years 7 to 12 are required to wear a face mask while at school.
• A person is not required to wear a face mask if they have a physical or mental health illness or condition, or disability, which makes wearing a face mask detrimental to their condition.
• A person may remove their face mask in the following situations:
  • when consuming food, drink or medicine.
  • when communicating with a person who is deaf or hard of hearing and visibility of the mouth is essential for communication.
  • when at work and the nature of the work means that wearing a face mask creates a risk to health and safety.
  • If asked to remove a face mask to ascertain identity (eg if asked by a police officer).
  • When undertaking vigorous exercise.
  • When performing essential work in an outdoor space where no other people are present.
  • If a person is alone or only with members of the same household in an outdoor space when no other people are present.
  • When performing essential work in an indoor space, but only when:
    • in an office where no other people are present; OR
    • when sitting or standing at a workstation in an office; AND
    • 1.5 metres away from any other person.
  • As soon as a person is no longer alone or is moving, they must wear a face mask.
  • If they are in the process of getting married.
  • If alone in a vehicle or with other members of the same household only.
  • Because of an emergency.
  • If a person is seated at a table in a restaurant or café.

  Note: A face covering means a mask or other covering that fits securely around the face and covers the nose and mouth to provide the wearer with protection against infection. A scarf or bandana is not a face mask.

Social Gatherings, Leaving Home and Visitors

• No more than five people are permitted to visit another household at any one time (limits do not apply to children under 12 years of age).
• Outdoor gatherings can take place with no more than 25 people
• Organised Events/Mass Gatherings are not permitted to take place.

• NSW and Victoria remain as COVID-19 Affected Areas. Exemptions are required for travellers seeking to enter the ACT from these areas.
• Standing Exemption for surrounding NSW border residents expanded to include additional postcodes.
• Exemption criteria for entry into the ACT from a COVID Affected Area to be reviewed and relaxed.

• Employers continue to allow staff to work from home if practical.
• Gradual return to work where it suits employees and employers, and in accordance with the Public Health Direction.

Education and Childcare

READ: Health guidelines for schools

Early Childhood Education and Care:
Children whose parents or carers are required to work and cannot provide care for their children at the same time, and for vulnerable children and young people.

From 25 October 2021:
Open.  Return parameters are subject to the Health Guidelines for Schools and Early Childhood Education Services (including OSHC).

Schools:

• Schools are open for school-based staff and children whose parents or carers are required to work and cannot provide care for their children at the same time, and for vulnerable children and young people
  From 18 October 2021:
  Year 11 and 12 students return to on campus learning.

From 25 October 2021:

• Preschool children can return to on campus learning (consistent with Early Childhood Education and Care above).
• Kindergarten to Year 2 students can return to on campus learning.
• Year 6 students can return to on campus learning.
• Years 9 and 10 students can return to on campus learning.
• Out of School Hours care available to on campus learners.

• Return parameters are subject to the Health Guidelines for Schools and Early Childhood Education Services (including OSHC).

Higher Education and Training:

• Continue remote learning, except where essential instruction or learning activities cannot be adequately conducted remotely.
• Onsite learning must comply with density restrictions of one person per four square metres.

Public Transport

Buses and Light Rail:

• Interim timetable with school services from 25 October 2021.
• Light rail services operating as normal.

Taxis, Hire Car and Ride Share Services

• Operating as normal.

Non-Essential Retail

• Click and Collect requirements to be removed from 11:59pm on Thursday 21 October 2021, and businesses can reopen to the public.
• Businesses must meet their work, health and safety obligations.
• COVID Safe Plan required.
• Businesses to apply the following density restrictions to all areas of the business which are accessible to the public:
  • One person per four square metres per usable indoor space; and
  • One person per four square metres per usable outdoor space.

All Essential Retail

• Businesses must meet their work, health and safety obligations.
• Businesses to apply the following density restrictions to all areas of the business which are accessible to the public:
  • One person per four square metres per usable indoor space; and
  • One person per four square metres per usable outdoor space.
• COVID Safe Plan required for certain essential businesses
  • Hardware and building supplies, agricultural and rural supplies, pet stores and businesses that predominately sell essential office supplies

Hospitality and Licensed Venues

Licensed Venues, Cafes, Restaurants and Food Courts

• 25 people across the venue or one person per four square metres, whichever is lesser (exc. staff).
• If businesses wish to have more than 25 people they can have up to 50 people outdoors, or one person per four square metres, whichever is lesser.
  • If businesses select this option, they must not permit patrons to be seated in an indoor space, regardless of the number of people seated outside.
• Guests must remain seated whilst eating and drinking.
• Dancing is not permitted.
• Food Courts can only operate by take away only.

Night Clubs

• Closed, but can trade as a bar.

Gaming and gambling venues

Casinos, Clubs, Gambling Venues and Betting Agencies

• 25 people across the venue or one person per four square metres, whichever is lesser (exc staff).
• Patrons must remain seated whilst eating and drinking

Hairdressing, beauty and personal services

Hairdressing and Barbers, Beauty Therapy, Day Spas, Nail Salons, Waxing Salons, Tanning Salons, Tattoo Parlours and Body Modification Studios

• Can open with one person per four square metres up to five clients at any one time (exc staff).

Strip Clubs and Brothels

• Closed.

Places of Worship, weddings and funerals

Places of Worship

• 25 people across the venue or one person per four square metres, whichever is lesser (exc. staff).

Funerals

• 50 people or one person per four square metres, whichever is lesser (exc. staff). This is regardless of whether the funeral is indoors or outdoors.

Weddings

• 25 people or one person per four square metres, whichever is lesser (exc staff and persons being married).
• Guests must remain seated whilst eating and drinking.
• Dancing permitted

Fitness and Sport

Gyms, Health Clubs, Fitness Centres or Wellness Centres, Personal Training and Bootcamps

• 25 patrons across the venue or one person per four square metres, whichever is lesser (exc staff).
• Indoor classes and circuit sessions not permitted.
• Supervised weight training or use of other gym equipment.
• Equipment to be cleaned after each individual use.
• Outdoor bootcamps and personal training can take place within gathering limits.
• Change rooms to remain closed.

Swimming Pools

• Hydrotherapy pools permitted to operate.
• 25 people across the venue or one person per four square metres, whichever is lesser (exc staff).
• 2 swimmers only per lane.
• Formal swimming lessons and training permitted to go ahead within the gathering restrictions.
• Change rooms to remain closed.
• One parent for each minor (in addition to 25 swimmers).

Dance Classes

• Closed.  May permit no more than two people at any one time who work at the non-essential business, activity or undertaking to attend the premises for the purposes of filming, live streaming, or broadcasting to patrons.

Organised Sporting Activities

• Outdoor training can resume with up to 25 people in each outdoor space or one person per four square metres, whichever is lesser (exc staff or volunteers).
• Minimise use of shared equipment.
• One parent for each minor.
• Change rooms to remain closed.

Outdoor physical recreation and campgrounds

Campgrounds, Caravan Parks and Camp Sites:  

• Open.
• Any gatherings on site need to comply with gathering limits

Outdoor playgrounds, Skate Parks, Fitness Stations and Dog Parks:

• Permitted to open.
• Any gatherings on site need to comply with gathering limits

Nature Reserves

• Permitted to open for recreational purposes.
• Any gatherings on site need to comply with gathering limits

Community and Cultural Facilities, Attractions and Cultural Activities

Libraries

• 25 people across the venue or one person per four square metres, whichever is lesser (exc. staff).

Community Centres, Facilities or Youth Centres

• 25 people across the venue or one person per four square metres, whichever is lesser (exc. staff or volunteers).
• Indoor sports held in these facilities are not permitted.

Galleries, Museums, National Cultural Institution, Historic Sites, Outdoor Attractions (Zoos and other Tourism Attractions)

• Closed to the public.
• Essential staff may continue to attend work.

Choirs, Bands and Orchestras

• No Change

Performance Venues, Conference Venues and Cinemas

Indoor Entertainment and Event Venues (including venues with forward facing, fixed and tiered seating – theatres, arenas or auditoriums).

• Closed to the public.
• Up to 25 people can enter the venue to broadcast a performance.

Conference and Convention Venues

• Closed.

Cinemas or Movie Theatres

• Closed.

Outdoor Entertainment and Event Venues (including venues with forward facing, fixed and tiered seating - stadiums, concert venues)

• Closed unless sporting activities are being held in accordance with the restrictions for those activities (eg: training outdoors).

Real Estate Services and Auction Houses

Real Estate:  

• Can allow one agent to conduct property inspections provided that:
• The inspection is of a property that is for rent or sale,
• The inspection is undertaken by private appointment only, and
• The inspection is conducted with either one person or more than one person if all from the same household,
• Where no other people are present at the time of the inspection, including residents of the house.
• Property inspections required by law for the sale of a property permitted to proceed.
• Photographing or filming a property is permitted to take place, with physical distancing to be maintained at all times.
• Property stylists may attend a residence to style the residence prior to sale, with physical distancing to be maintained at all times.

Auctions:

• Outdoor auctions permitted to take place with 25 people or one person per four square metres, whichever is lesser (exc staff).

Auction Houses

• 25 people across the venue or one person per four square metres, whichever is lesser (exc staff).

Tours and accommodation

Accommodation

• Open

Tours (eg walking tours)

• Outdoors only with 25 people or one person per four square meters, whichever is lesser (exc staff)

Tour transport: 

• Closed

• Building and construction activities must strictly adhere to the ‘ACT Building and Construction Industry COVID-19 Requirements’.
• Manufacturing, fabrication, testing, assembly, professional, regulatory, off – site administrative and equipment supply activities necessary to facilitate permitted construction activities.
• The following additional restrictions apply:

All Residential Construction – (Class 1 Buildings as defined under the National Construction Code) – regardless of whether the property is occupied or unoccupied.

• No more than ten workers on the site at any one time, or one person per four square metres, whichever is the lesser.
• For occupied residences, a maximum of five workers are permitted to work indoors at any point in time.
• There is to be no interaction between workers and residents within an occupied premises.

Occupied Residential Apartments

• Only outdoor construction works permitted to take place.
• No more than ten workers on the site at any one time, or one person per four square metres, whichever is the lesser.

Other Provisions

• Concreting works can be undertaken for an occupied and unoccupied premises with the minimum number of concreters required for work, health and safety reasons.

Visitors to Residential Aged Care Facilities

Visitor Restrictions:

• Up to two visitors per day can visit a person who is a resident of a residential aged care facility, for any reason.
• Visitors must be vaccinated.
• Travellers from COVID-19 affected areas require an exemption to enter the ACT.

Visitors to hospital facilities

Visitor Restrictions:

• Visitors to comply with policies established by the relevant hospital or health care facility.
• Travellers from COVID-19 affected areas require an exemption to enter the ACT.

Health Care

Open with appropriate COVID Safe measures (no longer restricted in the Public Health Direction