When Western Australia's borders reopen on Thursday, people will be subject to a new, tougher set of COVID-19 restrictions.
And although they are not as strict as what the government had flagged initially, they will still have a substantial impact on many businesses.
Smaller restaurants and cafes, for example, might have escaped the brunt of it, but many larger venues say they will be crippled.
With hospitalisations still low, and the peak expected to be a number of weeks away, why have the rules changed now?
And what do businesses think of the latest change?
What are the main rules?
It's a long list, but here are some of the big ones:
- The school mask mandate is being extended to year 3 students and above
- Home gatherings will be limited to 10 people indoors and outdoors
- Private outdoor gatherings, not in a home, will be capped at 50 people
- There will be a 2-square-metre-rule up to 150 people, indoors or outdoors, for weddings and funerals, although the 10 person limit still applies in a home.
Aged and disability care residents will be allowed two visitors per day, while no visitors will be allowed into hospitals except for spouses, parents, carers and birth partners, as well as others on compassionate grounds.
It's not yet clear what those compassionate grounds are.
Spectators will also be limited to parents and guardians at community sport.
What about for businesses?
Businesses had been preparing for the four-square-metre rule to be introduced at this point, but that's now changed.
The two-quare-metre-rule will remain for many, including fitness, hospitality and entertainment venues, as well as hairdressers and beauty services plus galleries and museums.
Those businesses, except hairdressers and beauty services, will also be limited to seated service only and will be capped at 150 patrons.
Outdoor events will require mask-wearing, in addition to being limited to the 2-square-metre rule up to 500 people.
Forward-facing venues, like theatres and cinemas as well as major stadiums, will be kept to 50 per cent capacity.
Premier Mark McGowan said the 150 person limit, rather than the 4-square-metre rule, would limit the impact on smaller businesses while still slowing the surge in cases.
Why now, when so few people are in hospital?
In announcing these changes, the WA government made clear they were needed now to avoid higher numbers, particularly in hospital, as cases peaked over the next few weeks.
"If we want a set of measures to be effective, they need to come in sooner rather than later," Mr McGowan said.
"The way to drop the hospitalisation rates and soften or flatten the curve is to put in place restrictions like this at this point in time, rather than wait until that point in time."
According to WA Chief Health Officer Andy Robertson, the numbers of people in hospital and ICU at the peak will be dramatically reduced because of these restrictions.
How long will all of this be in place for?
Mr McGowan said he hoped the rules would only be in place for about the next month, to try and get WA through the peak.
He said it would all be reviewed around the end of March, shortly after the expected peak.
An early review was all but ruled out because of the delay between introducing the rules and gauging their effect.
"The impact is now when we're in this rapid growth phase," Dr Robertson said.
"If you wait until the peak, it's not going to have the impact."
But it means a number of events are likely to be affected, including:
- The Western Force's first home game of the season on Friday
- An AFLW double-header at Perth Stadium this Saturday
- A number of Perth Lynx and Glory games
- The first two rounds of the AFL.
What about the Perth Festival?
The show looks set to go on for the final week of the Perth Festival, albeit with some adjustments.
"We are happy to say that the Festival will continue in our COVID-safe venues, however some events are affected by these recent updates," organisers said in an email.
The Festival's website said masks would be required at all venues indoors and outdoors from Thursday, and that some venues would have reduced capacity.
"Ticket holders will be contacted," the page said.
What do businesses think?
While the news is likely welcome for many smaller venues that would have been able to host only a handful of customers under the four-square-metre rule, the 150 person limit is a huge blow for larger businesses.
David Heaton manages some of Perth's most popular venues including Magnet House, a nightclub in the CBD.
He said the size of the club meant the 150-person limit equated to a six-square-metre rule.
"For a big nightclub like us, it's going to take a lot more than 150 people to make it economically viable for us to open," he said.
It's a similar story for Tim McLernon from the Camfield.
"It means that all our casual staff go and we really do need to make a decision on, for the next four to six weeks or however long this lasts, whether it is easier and cheaper for us to shut the doors rather than try and stay open and have all the other associated costs," he said.
Will support be offered to affected businesses?
Yes — the Premier confirmed he would announce a new support package later this week.
But many hope it will be much more substantial than what's previously been offered.
"It's not enough for us to survive over the next four to six weeks."
That's what the Opposition was hoping for too, according to Shadow Minister Peter Collier.
"It is imperative that the government listen to the concerns of those businesses who have suffered enormously over the last two years, and inevitably this is going to impact on them yet again," he said.
"They need financial support, and I'd like to think the government will be forthcoming in that area."
But the events industry wants something more, going as far as saying the sector was on "life support" because of the rules, with another 169 events now in jeopardy.
"Rather than compensating businesses, this government needs to start creating an environment in which event businesses can build confidence that they can hold events," Events Industry Association chair Tim Kennedy said.
"Until this government starts to demonstrate a clear plan, rather than on-the-fly, arbitrary policy making, we will continue to see Western Australian owned and operated event businesses be lost."
