Children to return to school as Melbourne eases Covid-19 lockdown

Flinders Street Station in Melbourne as restrictions in the city are scheduled to be eased Picture: David Davies/PA

Australia’s second largest city, Melbourne, has further eased lockdown restrictions imposed after a surge in coronavirus cases, allowing most children to return to school from next month and sending more than 125,000 people back to work.

Melbourne and surrounding parts of rural Victoria state were placed under strict Level 4 lockdowns on August 2, closing schools and non-essential businesses, imposing a night-time curfew and prohibiting public gatherings.