Stringent coronavirus rules will remain place at abbatoirs: state government

Premier Daniel Andrews has announced the government will release its roadmap out of COVID-19 restrictions, on Sunday.

He said the plan would provide certainty and clarity to communities and businesses.

Before the plan for a staged re-opening was released, the government would start an intensive, and extensive, round of discussions with industry, unions and community organisations, to inform the final development of the state's roadmap to what Mr Andrews said was "COVID Normal."

The re-opening roadmap would look at reopening on a basis of business by business and sector by sector.

"I think the notion abattoirs and meatworks would go back to the kind of behaviour and practice, that was pre-COVID, that won't be happening," Mr Andrews said.

"Some of the stuff they have now embedded, and we are very grateful for them doing that, I think will be a feature, into the future."

Abattoirs and meat processing plants have seen major outbreaks of coronavirus, with the most recent infection reported at the Australian Lamb Company, Colac.

It was among 14 plants which have recorded coronavirus cases in the last two months.

Read more:

Stringent coronavirus restrictions placed on Victorian meat processors

From early August, each of Victoria's 120 meat processing facilities and 45 seafood processing plants was required to enact a High-Risk COVIDSafe Plan, focused on safety, prevention and response if coronavirus cases were linked to their workplace.

The plan included reducing working hours by a third.

Deep cleaning was increased, and staff were required to wear full personal protective equipment.

Under the current rules, employees are:

The restrictions apply to:

Mr Andrews said waiting until Sunday to reveal the roadmap would allow further modelling of the spread of coronavirus.

Mr Andrews said the government would not rely solely on case numbers, as the only gauge for re-opening the state.

"But we want these numbers down as low as they can possibly be,' he said.

"There will be a point where we have to make a decision" based on the modelling and data.

"So with numbers at X level, say by Friday this week, various models, various different options for opening up - they will all come with a risk that we lose some control."

None of the models was 100 per cent safe.

"It just means our modelling and all the number crunching that goes on, while its never certain, will be a more accurate picture of the way the virus is presented and therefore will lead to a more successful fight against it," Mr Andrews said.

"It's never been my habit or practice to be making commitments, that we can't keep.

"We know, and understand, if we were to open up with numbers anything like we have had, even with a very positive trend, those numbers will explode, and we will lose control of this again.

"Instead of having that long term, stable, COVID Normal, where businesses can return, where people can be out there, purchasing, where people can get back to work, we won't have that.

"We will have a see-sawing effect, where the rules are on and off, and that will do enormous damage."

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