A scan of social media shows some of us are confused about what restrictions apply here in Victoria, particularly as some states and territories move towards relaxing some of their rules.

Some states will soon have students returning to school in various limited forms, and there may be some easing of rules around things like family outings. As we hear of these looming changes around the country in the national media, we need to be very careful to discern how things are here in Victoria.

It gets tricky for us to keep up with what we can and can’t do in Victoria because most news programs and other sources of news are national and cover all states. So for us in Gippsland, here’s a quick guide to what’s Victoria-based and relevant to us.

TELEVISION

Victorian news bulletins produced in Melbourne are…
ABC: 7pm every day
WIN (10): 5pm Mon-Fri
Prime7: 4pm Mon-Fri, 6pm every day
Nine: 4pm Mon-Fri, 6pm every day

Other bulletins are national with Covid-19 news from each state, as are news programs like ABC News Breakfast, Headline News (WIN), Sunrise and Today.

WIN also has a half hour of local/state news at 6pm. 9 is currently relaying Melbourne news at 6pm, rather than their regular hybrid local bulletin. Prime7 and 9 have short capsule local bulletins within other evening programs. Also see the WIN News Gippsland and 9 News Gippsland Facebook pages.

RADIO

In Gippsland, ABC Radio has state-based news from Melbourne in the breakfast hours and through the daytime.
TRFM and Gippsland’s Gold have hourly state-based news bulletins from 3AW Melbourne.
3GG and Hit FM have national rather than Victorian bulletins.

ABC Gippsland, TRFM, Gippsland’s Gold, 3GG and Hit FM also have local news bulletins at various times on weekdays.

NEWSPAPERS

Victorian newspapers like The Age, Herald Sun and The Weekly Times provide good coverage of what we need to know in Victoria.

While some regional newspapers in Gippsland have suspended publication, others like those in Warragul, Latrobe Valley, Sale, Bairnsdale and East Gippsland continue to provide relevant Covid-19 coverage for our region.

ONLINE

The state-based newspapers mentioned above have plenty of Victoria-relevant coronavirus content on their web sites. Other sites like ABC and news.com.au are national and cover all states.

The web sites of our main local hospitals also have good information, as do our shire and city councils.

THE BEST SOURCE FOR VICTORIANS

The Victorian Government site has the official information we need to know for this state: www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/coronavirus

In Victoria, no restrictions or school attendance requirements are changing for the time being and a State of Emergency continues until at least 11 May. Don’t get confused by hearing what other states are doing!

FARTS

There are also a number of national and overseas podcasts available to us, like the ABC’s Coronacast featuring Dr Norman Swan. In it he provides information and answers listeners’ questions like: can you catch the coronavirus through farts? Dr Swan’s advice was for people to avoid farting near one another. He said it is everyone’s responsibility not to pass wind close to another person and that you “don’t fart with your bottom bare”.

We’ll finish on that note.