The capacity for the matches of Open de Australia It will be capped at 50%, given a continuous increase in cases and hospitalizations for Covid-19, it was announced on Thursday.
Masks will also be mandatory in the first tournament Grand Slam of the year, which begins on Monday, except when eating or drinking, and spectators must maintain social distance indoors.
“This update of measures for the Open de Australia they mean fans, players and workers should have a fantastic Covid-free event, “Victoria State Minister of Tourism Jaala Pulford said in a statement.
A similar cap was imposed at last year’s tournament at the complex Melbourne Park, before a five-day lockdown was ordered in the city to contain an outbreak of the coronavirus that barred public access.
The matches were held with empty stadiums and fans were eventually able to return in small numbers.
Victoria reported on Thursday (local time) the record number of 953 patients hospitalized for Covid-19 and more than 220,000 active cases in the state.
The staff and players of the Open de Australia They should be vaccinated against the coronavirus, but world tennis number one Novak Djokovic is not, sparking a global incident.
The tennis player arrived in Australia a week ago with a medical exemption because he tested positive for Covid-19 on December 16, but the immigration authorities considered that the exemption was not valid, for which they canceled the visa and sent him to a center detention of migrants.
The tennis player’s lawyers managed to reverse the visa cancellation in court on Monday, but his stay in the tournament depends on what Australian Immigration Minister Alex Hawke decides.
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