BENDIGO health care workers are at risk of a high rate of COVID-19 infections if the region's residents relax their efforts to physically distance.
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Health leaders have urged Bendigonians to continue to keep their distance from others to fight the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.
Bendigo Health warned that a spike in infections could use up precious stocks of personal protective equipment.
On Thursday, the hospital has opened 16 of the 45 new beds promised to help fight the pandemic virus.
Read more: More hospital beds for coronavirus
Bendigo Health chair Bob Cameron said a rapid relaxing of social distancing would cause a spike in coronavirus cases, similar to northern Tasmania.
He said this could lead to two options, both unacceptable: health care workers being infected, or hospitals not treating people with COVID-19 symptoms.
"If we were to have spikes like that across the country, PPE would all be used up," Mr Cameron said.
"That would be a big problem for us. There is a massive world shortage of PPE. ... We've got to be able to maintain our supplies with the dribs and drabs that come in.
"As a community we can't afford to be relaxing social distancing without recognising the enormous risks that we won't have personal protective equipment of health workers."
Bendigo Health chief executive Peter Faulkner said it was very easy to go from a low prevalence to a high prevalence of cases.
Mr Faulkner flagged that Bendigo Health might be called to provide some of its resources to other parts of the state, if they experienced a spike in cases.
OTHER NEWS:
He said the hospital had various levels of supply of different types of protective equipment. For instance, he said, the hospital had only a few weeks of eye-protection, but it could be rewashed effectively.
Mr Faulkner said the hospital had fortunately invested in several gowns that could be laundered.
He said the risk of healthcare workers getting infected by COVID-19 at a high rate was a possible consequence of running out protective equipment.
Mr Faulkner said the Department of Health and Human Services was increasingly optimistic it would soon be able to sterilise and re-use masks, after new research from CSIRO.
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Elspeth Kernebone
Accident brought me to journalism, but every day convinces me again that strong media is more important than ever. After a starting off as the sole reporter in a tiny NSW town, I’m loving the teeming metropolis that is Bendigo. Focussed on health, business and education. Got a tip? Email elspeth.kernebone@bendigoadvertiser.com.au.
Accident brought me to journalism, but every day convinces me again that strong media is more important than ever. After a starting off as the sole reporter in a tiny NSW town, I’m loving the teeming metropolis that is Bendigo. Focussed on health, business and education. Got a tip? Email elspeth.kernebone@bendigoadvertiser.com.au.
