COVID rules have relaxed in the ACT after the government made dramatic changes to restrictions on Friday, but Chief Minister Andrew Barr has not ruled out reintroducing restrictions if the situation worsens.
Density limits have been scrapped and dancing is now allowed across venues in Canberra, after the ACT brought forward an easing of restrictions following announcements from NSW and Victoria.
A work-from-home recommendation has also been dropped and workers can return to the office where it suits them and their employer.
The ACT will also relax indoor mask mandate rules with further details to be announced next week.
While restrictions have been eased, Mr Barr said authorities were braced for another COVID wave over winter.
"We are cautiously optimistic about the autumn period but we have an expectation of a further wave combining with the flu season in winter so that still remains a period of concern," he said.
"It's a note of cautious optimism ... but we could be at any given time back announcing the reintroduction of restrictions if there is a new variant or if we start seeing a significant spike in cases."
Mr Barr said the ACT was forced to bring forward its eased restrictions following a surprise announcement from NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet on Thursday where he brought forward relaxed rules.
Originally, the ACT intended to bring forward changes to restrictions next week.
"We had intended to make this announcement early next week but we've bought it forward in line with the chief health officers across most of the east coast," Mr Barr said.
"The NSW Premier made somewhat of a surprise announcement ... but that's his prerogative."
The changes in the ACT are also greater than what was foreshadowed. Last week Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith said the ACT was only considering easing restrictions on dancing and a requirement to sit while eating.
She specifically said health authorities were not considering the easing of density limits and mask mandates at the end of February. She said masks could remain in place until the end of winter.
Ms Stephen-Smith said on Friday the situation had changed and this was a marker of the pandemic.
"I've always tried to be really clear with people about what I'm seeing and hearing and what my expectation is so I'm not always going to get that 100% right because the situation changes," she said.
Opposition Leader Elizabeth Lee welcomed the easing of restrictions but was absolutely scathing of the government for implying the restrictions were already planned before the NSW announcement.
"It's all good for the Chief Minister and the Minister for Health to say 'we we're going to do this anyway' [but] let's not beat around the bush that is completely disrespectful to the Canberra community," Ms Lee said.
"If that was the case, then really they need to answer why only a couple of days ago there was there an announcement that there were no plans to do anything about the density limitations.
"There is no doubt that they were wrongfooted for this, that they're flying blind and now they're playing catch up."
The first lot of changes around density limits, dancing and seated requirements came into effect at 6pm on Friday.
Elective surgery will resume at Calvary Public Hospital on Monday.
From 11.59pm on Monday, the mandatory quarantine period for unvaccinated international travellers will be slashed from 14 day to seven days. Exemptions for unvaccinated travellers to enter the ACT to complete their quarantine period will continue to be required.
Mask changes will come into place next Friday, February 25 at 11.59pm. These changes will be clarified next week.
Exemption requirements for all events will also be removed. Events with more than 5000 people will still be asked to submit their COVID safety plans to ACT Health.
There were 561 new COVID-19 cases reported in the territory in the 24 hours to 8pm on Thursday. There are 45 people in ACT hospitals with the coronavirus, with two in intensive care and one of these on a ventilator.
There are now 2706 active COVID cases in the ACT. Up from 2565 reported the day before.
On Thursday, ACT Health reported the death of a man in his 20s from COVID-19. However, Ms Stephen-Smith revealed the man had died "some little time ago" but the death had been subject to consideration by the Coroner.
She did not provide any further detail on the man. ACT Health has refused to reveal his vaccination status.
