SA returning to 50 per cent capacity limits from Thursday but mask mandate to remain

From midnight on Wednesday 4 August, a number of restrictions on businesses in South Australia will be eased, but many rules including mask mandates and private gatherings limits will remain as the state tentatively returns to pre-lockdown settings.

The eased restrictions will come a week after SA completed a seven-day lockdown which saw an outbreak of the Delta variant of COVID-19 successfully suppressed in the state.

As of 12.01am on Thursday 5 August, businesses can return to 50 per cent capacity or the one person per two square metre rule while gyms will move to the one per four square metre capacity rule.

Sports will return for competition but there will be some conditions with regards to the number of spectators that can attend.

Masks will still be mandated in all high risk settings, for personal care appointments, on public transport and in indoor public spaces where social distancing is difficult.

Home gatherings will remain limited to 10 people, singing and dancing will still be banned, and schools will keep mask restrictions in place.

The state's border bubble arrangements will also change slightly, allowing competitive sport to occur.

"Historically, [border bubble travel] has been for school, for shopping, medical or work-related services," SA Premier Steven Marshall said.

"We'll be adding a further one this week which is for people to attend sport - we recognise that in the country competitive sport is very important to mental health and wellbeing."

The state's Premier also encouraged South Australian residents currently in Southeast Queensland to consider returning home soon as there is a possibility travel restrictions could tighten if the state's outbreak worsens.

Currently SA is only allowing returning residents to travel from Southeast Queensland who must quarantine at home for 14 days on arrival.

"If they can return to South Australia now, this would be our advice. We don't know that this week is going to hold for Queensland," Marshall said.

"We know that the lockdown in Southeast Queensland has been moved from three days right through to Sunday this week.

"This is something everybody should consider at the moment because there is a possibility that we could move to level six restrictions for South Australian residents as with those people in New South Wales."

Updated at 12.32pm AEST on 2 August 2021.