4.30pm
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
BENDIGO Health has provided a letter to St Joseph's Primary School in the hope it could help families access financial support from the federal government.
Federal Member for Bendigo Lisa Chesters on Thursday said families were eligible for the federal government's $1500 pandemic leave disaster payment.
But Ms Chesters said Centrelink was asking the families to show letters from Bendigo Health or the Department of Health and Human Services as proof of why they were isolating.
Families who have been isolating because of the COVID-19 outbreak at the school have not been able to access that financial support.
Bendigo Health chief executive officer Peter Faulkner said Public Health Unit Bendigo on Friday provided a letter to the Quarry Hill school for parents and staff to send to Centrelink.
"We hope and trust Centrelink will accept the letter and begin processing payments for affected families," Mr Faulkner said.
"We urge local businesses to support families of St Joseph's Primary School whose employment has been impacted by the medical advice they have received from Bendigo Health.
"We have asked all households connected to the school to isolate until August 12 to stop the spread of COVID-19 in our community.
"Young children who attend the school must isolate but they need someone to look after them. We trust that the business community can look after those parents in kind."
Earlier
ANOTHER student at St Joseph's Primary School has tested positive to COVID-19.
Catholic Education Office Sandhurst confirmed on Friday that the Quarry Hill school cluster had grown to nine students and three teachers.
The first case was confirmed at the school on July 29, when a staff member tested positive to the virus. The school was closed for a deep cleaning.
Another two staff members tested positive to COVID-19 at the weekend.
The Quarry Hill school then confirmed two students had tested positive to coronavirus on Monday.
Another six students were confirmed as positive cases on Thursday.
Read more:
Families were told on Wednesday that they must get tested for coronavirus as the situation at the school had progressed to an "outbreak".
Bendigo Health was assigned to contact tracing at the school late on Monday afternoon, five days after the first confirmed coronavirus case at the school.
Catholic Education Office Sandhurst director Paul Desmond on Thursday said that delay was frustrating for the school and families.
"I am very concerned by the delay in contact tracing efforts," he said. "We placed our confidence in the authorities and the delay is unreasonable.
"Since Bendigo Health has taken control of the situation, contact tracing is moving very smoothly."
Mr Desmond on Friday confirmed there were no further COVID-19 cases at Catherine McAuley College. Two students tested positive to coronavirus last week.
We have removed our paywall from this story about the coronavirus. This is a rapidly changing situation and we want to make sure our readers are as informed as possible. If you would like to support our journalists, subscribe here.