Victorian coronavirus restrictions tighten for New Year’s Eve gatherings as mask use becomes mandatory indoors

The Victorian Government has announced new coronavirus restrictions from 5:00pm tonight, which will limit indoor gathering sizes to 15 and make mask use indoors mandatory.

Acting Premier Jacinta Allan said that meant people who had planned New Year’s Eve gatherings for tonight based on the existing limit of 30 guests would need to reduce their numbers.

“We certainly do apologise to people who have put plans in place, who were looking forward to having events … but this is a necessary step, it’s on the advice that we’ve received overnight,” she said.

Ms Allan said the only people who should be travelling into Melbourne’s CBD for New Year’s Eve were those who had already made reservations at a hospitality venue.

The announcement comes after…