This weekend will be the first that will see most states and territories across Australia begin the first stage in the federal government's three stage plan to ease restrictions.
It follows last week's announcement by the federal government of their 'roadmap to recovery', and Prime Minister Scott Morrison has left each state and territory to decide how they will map-out their plan.
"Premiers and chief ministers have asked me to stress there should be no expectation of step one starting on day one – unless they are, indeed, already there," Morrison said last Friday.
For many around the country, this marks a significant change to social activities. So here's what you can do this weekend.
Can I go to the pub?
It depends on which state or territory you live in.
New South Wales, ACT (from May 16) and Northern Territory will re-open restaurants, cafes, pubs for dining-in with a maximum of ten patrons at any time. The establishments must allow four square metres between each customer, and patrons who are not members of the same household must exercise 1.5m in physical distancing.
In the ACT and Northern Territory, alcohol will only be served if had with a meal.
Queensland will re-open with the same guidelines from Saturday May 16 but there will be no alcohol served on the premises. Takeaway drinks however are allowed.
In South Australia, only outdoor dining will be allowed for restaurants and cafes, with no alcohol to be served or consumed on the premises.
Victoria, Tasmania and Western Australia haven't changed their restrictions on pubs, cafes and restaurants for this weekend. They are all still closed for dining-in, but takeaway from cafes and restaurants can continue.
However on May 18, Tasmania will re-open restaurants, cafes, pubs for eating-in with a maximum of ten patrons, while Western Australia will re-open to a maximum of 20 on the same date.
Can I catch up with friends and family?
Yes you can - with limitations. We're not back to standard socialising yet.
In most states and territories, there is now a limit of five people, excluding members of your household. If you are wanting a bigger gathering, you'll have to move your catch-up outdoors where limits in public spaces like parks are at ten people.
Queenslanders as well as Tasmanian residents are the exception to this.
Those in the sunshine state need to wait another day. From tomorrow, Queensland will allow gatherings of up to five guests at households and up to ten people outdoors. And from May 18, restrictions in Tasmania will ease to allow up to ten people to gather indoors and outdoors.
From today Western Australia and the ACT allow for up to ten people to gather in either indoor or outdoor settings.
Are house parties back on the agenda?
Not so fast. This might be the first weekend where in most states and territories you can invite more than two people over to your house but there's no need to rush.
State premiers and chief ministers across Australia have called for caution. You might be allowed to have up to five people at your home in certain places but that doesn't mean it's party time yet.
Victorian premier Dan Andrews called on Victorians to use "our common sense and recognise that this is far from over".
"This is not an invitation to be having a dinner party at every house every night."
Over in NSW, premier Gladys Berejiklian has said, "Every time you leave the house, you have to assume you have the virus or somebody you're going into contact with has the virus."
"That is the only way we will keep this deadly virus at bay."
ACT chief minister Andrew Barr has been very specific about house parties.
"No house parties. If people do that, they will undermine all that we have achieved as a community over the last several months," he said.
There's a reason chief minister Barr has urged no house parties.
The World Health Organisation has warned about the dangers of drinking alcohol amid the pandemic. They released this fact sheet in a bid to deter over-use of alcohol, citing that it can weaken the immune system. And there’s another downside to getting on the booze right now: drinking can enhance the risk of developing some of the more severe respiratory conditions associated with COVID-19.
And parties have proved problematic in the past. When asked about the visibility of more people out and about across the country, and the potential for community transmission, the country's Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy was at pains to reinforce the risks at social events: "we have seen outbreaks of 35 people from one case in a wedding. It is highly infectious."
Can I go away on a weekend trip in my state?
Again, it depends on where you live.
Non-essential travel like camping or going for a weekend away is still restricted in many states and territories. The only exceptions are South Australia and the Northern Territory where caravan parks and camping sites are open. But you will need to ensure there's four square metres between each person on site, and gatherings are limited to a maximum of ten people.
In other states, regional travel to caravan parks, campsites, a holiday home or an AirBNB for an overnight stay is still off-limits.
What do experts think you should do before you start your weekend?
"I think they should be thinking about the fact that even if they are in a part of Australia where there may be no active COVID-19 disease at the moment, that that could change at any time," Professor Sanjaya Senanayake said.
Prof Senanayke is an specialist in Infectious Diseases and Associate Professor Of Medicine at The Australian National University.
With flu season is coming up, Prof Senanayke is urging anyone who is eligible to get their flu shot.
"We don't want people getting COVID and influenza at the same time, they could potentially get much sicker than if they had either infection alone.
"There is a theory that people who have more than one infection at a time could be more infectious, so it could be a super spreader. So we don't want someone to get influenza and COVID-19 at the same time and be more infectious to other people."
And before you go racing out the door come the weekend, Prof Senanayake says, "I think just because you can go out doesn't mean you necessarily have to unless you need to."
"So just try and minimize what you can do. Certainly in the early stages of the outbreak as we try and get a feel for what COVID-19 is going to do in Australia as we lift restrictions.
"But otherwise, if you are interacting with people, then make sure you are practicing social distancing and washing your hands. I mean, they are so important. And they will be the recurring theme throughout this outbreak."
Click here: To find a breakdown of restrictions from each state and territory available in 63 different languages.
People in Australia must stay at least 1.5 metres away from others. Check your state’s restrictions on gathering limits.
Testing for coronavirus is now widely available across Australia. If you are experiencing cold or flu symptoms, arrange a test by calling your doctor or contact the Coronavirus Health Information Hotline on 1800 020 080.
The federal government's coronavirus tracing app COVIDSafe is available for download from your phone's app store.
SBS is committed to informing Australia’s diverse communities about the latest COVID-19 developments. News and information is available in 63 languages at sbs.com.au/coronavirus.
