It's not as bad as on the news, but it still feels surreal.
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That's the assessment of former Horsham resident Charlotte White, who now lives in Brunswick West, recently identified as a hotspot for coronavirus.
The postcode she lives in - 3055 - is one of ten which will return to stage three lockdown from midnight on Wednesday until July 29, as the state government seeks to control localised outbreaks of coronavirus.
The 21-year-old, who is studying a criminal justice degree from home, has lived in Melbourne since 2018. She moved to a place in Brunswick West with friend Brittany Nitschke, also of Horsham, just before the federal government shut down many facilities in March.
She said she noticed a sense of fear among the people she saw day to day.
"It feels like we're in a movie, it doesn't feel real," she said. "It's not as scary as what the media is portraying, but there are some people that are a lot more fearful of this than I am.
"I catch public transport to work every day, and pretty much everyone is wearing masks and keeping away from each other. If you accidentally walk closer to someone you'll notice they take a step away.
"I feel like people in Melbourne aren't taking it as seriously as they should. When I'm in the city - even during the first lockdown in April - you would go into the city and people would just be walking around shopping.
"A lot of younger people have the mindset they will be fine if they get it, so they aren't really listening to the rules."
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Ms Nitschke works as a property and administration officer for Victoria Police. She celebrated her 22nd birthday two weeks ago, with family members singing happy birthday via Zoom.
"(The lockdowns) are very frustrating, because I had some leave scheduled in just over a week," she said.
"It's lucky Horsham has had only three cases, whereas it's crazy the amount that the cases (in Melbourne) have gone up now.
"It's sort of hard coming back to Horsham as well, because people our age are more likely to have the virus without symptoms, so I'm a little nervous to go back to Horsham and see the family for that reason."
Ms White and Ms Nitschke can once again only leave home to work, shop, exercise or provide care, not be allowed visitors or visit other houses herself.
"For me being at university, it's great being able to have the option to go to the library or to campus to study, so I will miss that, but especially for people that use pools and gyms it is a difficult time," said Ms White.
Altogether over 300,000 Victorians will be affected by the lockdowns.
Mrs White said the pair had not received any doorknock or text from authorities with information about the virus. Premier Daniel Andrews said this would happen across the affected postcodes last week.
"I've been doing placement from home and I haven't received any knockings yet," she said. "I've been isolating since I got tested for coronavirus on Monday, so I haven't really been able to do anything.
"Daniel Andrews put a post up last Friday saying you should get tested whether you have symptoms or not, so I did that. I'm expecting the results back Wednesday or Thursday."
Ms White said she noticed a lot more fear amongst the patients at the CBD medical practice where she works part-time. "At the start... everyone was coming in and wanting to be tested for the mildest symptoms," she said.
"I think more so now people are used to it and have educated themselves. Before they were calling up before they came into the clinic panicking. I feel like with this lockdown people will have a lot less fear because they know what they're doing now.
"People in Horsham are so, so lucky. A lot of my friends and family are still there, and it's been really difficult not being able to travel back and see them. They should definitely appreciate that they can still see their family and friends and live life a little more normally.
"I went back to Horsham a couple of weeks ago, and it's so much more relaxed."
On Wednesday, Victorian Nationals Senator Bridget McKenzie encouraged Victorians not living in Stage 3 Stay at Home restricted postcode areas to holiday in regional Victoria.
Alexander Darling
Alexander has been a member of the Wimmera Mail-Times' editorial team since December 2018, covering politics, business and property among other rounds. He is a passionate St.Kilda and rock and roll fan, and has previously worked as a radio reporter in Port Macquarie and Gosford, NSW.
Alexander has been a member of the Wimmera Mail-Times' editorial team since December 2018, covering politics, business and property among other rounds. He is a passionate St.Kilda and rock and roll fan, and has previously worked as a radio reporter in Port Macquarie and Gosford, NSW.
