As Canberra enters its fifth week of lockdown due to continuing new cases of COVID-19, a number of restrictions remain in place.
But with spring well and truly blooming across the ACT, the nice weather is posing a mental challenge to those wanting to make the most of it, while still adhering to public health orders.
Currently, Canberrans are permitted to spend up to two hours per day outside for exercise or recreation, and may gather outdoors in groups of no more than five —all while wearing a mask.
But Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith said this week that those rules should not be exploited.
"We relaxed those gathering rules slightly so that people could, for their own mental health, catch up with a few other people — on occasion," she said.
Here's some insight into why some things are permitted, and others are not.
Why are nature reserves still open, but not national parks?
Since the outset of the pandemic, Canberrans have made good use of the reserves and public green spaces in their own neighbourhoods, as per the government's advice about staying in your local area.
Places such as Namadgi National Park and Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve are closed to the public.
Mr Barr said the aim was to restrict movement among ACT residents, even if it was outdoors.
Spending time in national parks, while considered relatively low risk, still leads to more people coming into contact with each other at public toilets, on walking trails and at other facilities.
Opening up parks would also increase the risk of the people coming into contact with staff from ACT Parks and Conservation, or those responsible for monitoring compliance — a near-impossible task in such a sprawling space.
There is also the possibility of a hiker becoming lost or injured, therefore exposing their rescuers to unnecessary risk.
Last month, two hikers were fined after they became lost in the Coree area, which led to a rescue operation involving ACT Policing, Search and Rescue and State Emergency Services personnel.
"I appreciate that walking with the same person and walking around the same parts of your local area is not necessarily the variety that everyone wants, and believe me I've walked a lot around where I live and a lot around where I work — it's frustrating," Mr Barr said.
Australian National University epidemiologist Karen Roper said national parks did not pose a high risk to the community, but only if people took care and remained socially distant.
"They are wide, vast, open spaces, you could be there by yourself or just with another person from your household and not see another person during the day," Dr Roper said.
What is the risk of opening golf courses and outdoor swimming pools?
Those desperate to get back to the golf course will have to wait a little longer, with the sport still prohibited for the time being.
The same goes for tennis and swimming at your local pool.
Mr Barr said while sports like golf were played outside in large open spaces, there was still an increased risk of COVID-19 transmission.
As with national parks, golfers tend to converge in some places, such as at the putting green, in the clubhouse, or when using public amenities.
"There is a cumulative question around movement in the community and the risk associated with that, so every time we add something else in, that increases the movement and interaction of people," Mr Barr said.
He said that public recreation, while important for mental health, was less of a priority than ensuring people could return to work.
But Mr Barr said the government would be considering lifting restrictions on golf and similar activities in the near future, as the vaccination rate continued to rise.
"Things like golf and tennis and walking in national parks are all things that are next in line for consideration," he said.
"They are relatively low risk but they will still see an increase in movement across the community."
But he said even then, restrictions would ease gently.
"In relation to activities as specific as golf and tennis, it's not about having organised tournaments ... so that 300 people can come and play tennis all at once," he said.
Why can't people picnic in my backyard?
Mr Barr also explained why people could occasionally meet a small group of friends outside, but that did not include at people's homes.
He reiterated that the virus was largely spreading through ACT households and that people's homes — even in their outdoor areas — posed a significant risk.
"If you go to someone's house you're very likely to need to use their bathroom and the facilities, you're going to be probably in the kitchen, and that is a much higher risk," he said.
Health authorities have said multiple times that restrictions imposed on the ACT community are as much about balance as anything else.
Every time a restriction is eased, movement increases.
"Our primary goal remains the health and protecting the health of our community," Mr Barr said.
"We are very acutely aware of the need to also consider the economic impacts and the mental health and wellbeing impacts that come from ongoing public health restrictions.
Ultimately, the message from the government has been to use "common sense" and to stay away from other people as much as possible.
The pay-off for Canberrans will come in the form of eased restrictions in future weeks, but, for now, comes in the knowledge that case numbers are continuing to plateau, instead of rise.
