Australian Clubs to Reopen in Sydney and Melbourne by End Of 2021

Pretty soon after lockdown, the world saw New Zealand handle COVID-19 with grace, they were  one of the first countries to experience nightlife, while rates were surging everywhere else. But not too far away, Australian cities were experiencing one of the strictest quarantines.

But there’s finally light at the end of the tunnel for Aussie partygoers. New South Wales reached a 70 percent vaccination rate, allowing Sydney to come out of a 107-day lockdown. New South Wales will reopen in 3-phases, allowing for outdoor gatherings with no limits by December 1st. However, nightclubs will continue with some restrictions, including a 1 person per four square meter capacity. Mask mandates will resume for workers and those who take public transportation.

A little further South, Melbourne experienced an even more stern lockdown that lasted a total of 262 days. While the stay-at-home order is officially lifted, Melbourne is moving a bit slower than Sydney, only allowing for up to 50 people at outdoor gatherings, despite the city also reaching a 70 percent vaccination rate. 

To give some positive reinforcement, if the rate reaches 80 percent by October 29 in Melbourne, nightclubs will be able to reopen and events will be able to host more people. Resident Advisor reports that indoor seated events will be able to host up to 1,000 and nightclubs will let in up to 500 attendees.

"Let's not slack off, let's increase the pace as we get to the 80% milestone - but also the 90% vaccination milestone," 

-Jeroen Weimar, Victoria's COVID-19 response commander, Reuters

Australia has comparatively seen a low amount of COVID-19 related deaths that stands at under 2,000 total. 72% of residents over 16 are fully vaccinated, and almost 87% have at least received one shot.