Punters urged to have COVID-safe cup day

It might be the race that stops the nation, but Australians are being urged to celebrate the Melbourne Cup in a COVID-safe way.

Victoria has landed a quaddie in the lead up to the race, recording four straight days of no coronavirus cases or deaths.

Health authorities are again reminding Australians to not be complacent with social distancing as new case numbers drop and restrictions ease across the country.

ACT Health has issued a list of tips to help punters watch the Melbourne Cup on Tuesday to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

The tips include to not “jockey with strangers” by maintaining 1.5 metres, reining in groups by not showing up to venues with extra people and to stay home if you have a hoarse throat.

While Flemington will be crowd-free for the $7.75 million race, Melbourne’s pubs and bars are hoping for a bumper day after reopening to customers last week.

Cup day events will be held across the city, with outdoor and indoor dining limits of 50 and 20 respectively.

Queensland relaxed border restrictions for visitors from regional NSW from Tuesday, with an extra three million people eligible to enter the Sunshine State.

The Northern Territory on Monday began welcoming people from regional Victoria back to the territory without the need to quarantine.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison wants all internal borders reopened by Christmas.

NSW recorded one new locally transmitted case linked to a cluster in western Sydney, along with six more infections among overseas travellers in hotel quarantine.

But Acting Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly says Australians have to keep their eye on the ball.

“We haven’t beaten it yet,” he told ABC radio.

“We need to remember this virus hasn’t gone away.

“There was and continues to be an increase in cases coming into our quarantine hotels.”

Australians surveyed for a Guardian Essential poll remain happy with the way governments are navigating the coronavirus pandemic.

Approval of the Morrison government’s response remains steady at 61 per cent.

Support for the Victorian government’s handling of the crisis has climbed from 45 per cent to 55 per cent in the past fortnight, the most positive result since June.

Approval for Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has also climbed from 54 per cent to 61 per cent.

Support for the NSW government and Premier Gladys Berejiklian also remains strong, with both measures standing at 68 per cent.

Two-thirds of voters in Queensland approved of Annastacia Palaszczuk’s coronavirus response.

Ms Palaszczuk prevailed in a state election on Saturday and Labor will form a majority government.