Bendigo Health has moved to ban visitors from attending its hospital and residential care facilities from 11.59pm on February 12, until further notice, in response to the introduction of a five-day lockdown in Victoria.
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In an update posted on the Bendigo Health website, the health service announced that no visitors will be permitted, except under special circumstances.
Following approval from the nurse in charge, visitors could be permitted for palliative care patients, under special circumstances such as a birthing partner or carer for an infant, or a carer for a patient with disabilities.
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Flowers and sealed food and drink packages are able to be delivered to the atrium staff via family members only.
Upon the reintroduction of the measures, Bendigo Health chairman Bob Cameron acknowledged that the decision to restrict visitors was hard, but made with the best interests of the community in mind.
"Bendigo Health believes this measure is the safest course for our patients and residents," Mr Cameron said.
Bendigo Health has adjusted its visitor policy on numerous occasions since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, with changes first announced on March 23, 2020.
At that time, Bendigo had yet to record a positive coronavirus case.
Bendigo Health continues to coordinate the region's coronavirus testing, with drive-through and walk-in testing available at Stewart Street, Bendigo, seven days a week, from 10am to 5.30pm.
Victoria's five-day "circuit breaker" lockdown was introduced by Premier Daniel Andrews on Friday afternoon following a coronavirus exposure at Melbourne Airport, Terminal 4.
All five of the COVID-19 cases recorded last Friday are linked to the Holiday Inn Melbourne Airport cluster, which is responsible for 13 of Victoria's 19 active cases.
The Department of Health advised that virus symptoms include; fever, sore throat, shortness of breath, cough and a runny nose.
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