MEMBER for Mallee Anne Webster has written to the Victorian Premier asking that the government reveal the true extent of COVID-19 exposure sites across Sunraysia.
Mildura entered a snap lockdown on Friday as positive cases grew across the north-west of the state, however no tier 1 exposure sites have been published by the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).
Dr Webster said she wrote to Daniel Andrews on Sunday to request that the matter be addressed “as a matter of urgency” and for a list of exposure sites to be published immediately.
“The lack of published exposure sites can only be explained by one of two things – either contact tracing is not occurring, or known sites are not being published by DHHS,” Dr Webster said.
“If the contact tracing has not taken place, then the Victorian Government needs to be honest with the community without delay.
“The community is at greater risk when they don’t have the live information they need to stay safe.”
Dr Webster said until exposure sites were published Mildura residents would be left in the dark.
“People want to do the right thing; they want to ensure that they are following all the necessary rules and protocols,” she said.
“We know that contact tracing and case isolation are two of the most crucial measures to prevent community transmission.
“Mildura residents need reassurance that we have not been abandoned by the health department as we experience our biggest outbreak yet.
“Changing the goal posts for residents is confusing – it makes it difficult for people to follow the rules.”
Dr Webster said that for the past 18 months people had valiantly and persistently done their best to keep in step with the updated health orders.
“This week the partner of one close contact has been given conflicting instructions from DHHS,” she said.
“Initially she was told to isolate with the close contact, but only two days later this direction was revoked and told she was no longer required to do so.
“She is concerned that her partner may yet become positive and she may become a risk to the children at her workplace.
“I have had phone calls from local residents stating that they have visited a local business at the same time as a positive case.
“They have not been informed by DHHS to isolate, but rather the business has taken the responsibility to notify this patron because they know her. This is not equitable.”
The Victorian Department of Health and Human Services said it regularly managed exposure sites that it did not publish online, particularly if the sites represented lower-risk exposure, if they had comprehensive record-keeping and contact-tracing measures, or if they identified small, private locations.
Dr Webster said it had been a highly stressful time for the community as people were doing their best to get a handle on the real version of events in the outbreak.
“We need transparency from the Victorian Government as we face one of our biggest challenges yet,” she said.
“If the goal posts for reporting and publishing tier 1 exposure sites have changed, then Mildura deserves to know.
“Over the border in New South Wales, there have been live updates for exposure sites for cases in Dareton and Buronga and Victorians deserve the same level of communication and support.”
Late on Sunday two Mildura tier 1 exposure sites were listed on the www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au web page.
Davo’s General Store & Take-Away, 285 San Mateo Avenue, was listed as an exposure site on Monday, October 4, between 2.30 and 3.20pm. A person who later tested positive visited the store.
Chloe’s Nails and Beauty, 210 Deakin Avenue, was an exposure site on Saturday, October 2, between 10am and 12.10pm. A person who later tested positive visited the store.
People who were at either place at the relevant times should get tested for COVID-19 and self-isolate for 14 days from the date of exposure.
