COVID Circuit Breaker 27 May 2021

As per this morning's Victorian Government update, the existing COVID-19 related Public Health Orders have changed, and a state-wide 7-day circuit breaker has been announced.

Effective from 11.59pm tonight (Thursday 27 May) until 11.59pm Thursday 3 June, a circuit breaker will be implemented with only five reasons to leave your home:

1. Shopping for necessary goods and services
2. Authorised work or permitted education
3. Exercise – with a 2hr limit and with one other person
4. Care giving, compassionate and medical reasons
5. To get vaccinated

Face masks must be worn indoors and outdoors unless you have a valid exemption.

CARING FOR YOUR HORSE.

You may leave home to care for and attend to your horse, under the fourth reason to leave home: Care giving, compassionate and medical reasons. This includes if your horse is housed more than 5km from your home.

However, at this stage we are asking everyone to stay as close to home as possible and be mindful that you may be required to provide evidence for your reason to travel. We recommend carrying proof ownership (i.e., registration papers), the location of your horse and the reason that you are travelling.

If you need to leave home to tend to your horse(s), the restrictions travel with you and so you need to follow the same rules as if you were at home. Face masks must be worn at all times even when outside, unless exemptions apply.

You should provide care for your horse in as limited time as possible, at all times government social distancing and hygiene requirements must be adhered to.

EXERCISING YOUR HORSE

What is permitted
• Riding to exercise your horse for welfare reasons (Reason No 4)
• Riding your horse as part of your exercise for 2 hours with one other person within 5km of your house (Reason No 4)

What is not permitted
• Riding for YOUR exercise outside of 5km from your home.
• If you are riding your horse for your exercise, then the exercise guidelines apply to YOU (Reason No 3).

Face masks must also be worn at all times when you are outside of your home, unless exemptions apply.

VETERINARY CARE AND FEED SUPPLIES

The following workers are classified as authorised providers and authorised worker list a

• pet store; or
• a veterinary clinic, and related services (on-farm visits and animal care services) where there is a genuine animal welfare issue, or for the purposes of artificial insemination; or
• professional or high-performance sportsperson, workers that support the safe running of that person's professional sport, and public broadcast personnel necessary for broadcasting the professional sport;

INDOOR AND OUTDOOR SPORT AND PHYSICAL RECREATION

• Indoor and outdoor physical recreation and sport is closed (playgrounds remain open).

We know this is a challenging time, especially for anyone with events in the next 7 days (and near future). Reach out if you need any help or want further clarity.

We will continue to provide updates as more information comes to hand.

Stay safe and take care

Matthew Brown
CEO – Equestrian Victoria