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BENDIGO Community Health Services has closed the doors of its central location after a COVID-19 positive case attended earlier this week.
In a post on social media, the Department of Health contacted BCHS to confirm the news.
"The Department of Health has contacted a Bendigo Community Health Services staff member today to let them know a confirmed COVID-19 case attended our Central site at 9.30am on Wednesday, October 20," the post said.
"A check of records shows the positive case also attended our Central site at 11.45am on Tuesday for a very short time with an appointment query.
More news: Bendigo Health coronavirus update
"Our Central site has been closed for a deep clean in line with our COVID-19 protocol."
"The site is expected to be open as normal on Monday."
They said there was no official notification in regards to Central site being listed as an exposure site but staff would keep the community informed should this occur.
"The health and welfare of our staff and consumers is always our number one priority," the post said.
12.50pm
Premier Daniel Andrews confirmed that from November 1, international travellers returning back to Victoria would not have to quarantine.
"They'll be able to go home if they are double-vaxxed and if they have tested before the flight and if they get a test within 24 hours of arriving home," he said.
"This means that we will reduce our hotel quarantine program down to just a handful of hotels.
"Of course, Mickleham comes online early next year, and that'll be a facility that we'll continue to use for people who aren't vaccinated or whose vaccination status is uncertain, or who have a vaccine that's not approved by our federal government."
Mr Andrews said 90.5 per cent of Victorians have now had a first dose, and 71.1 per cent of Victorians aged over 16 are fully protected.
"That's why, today, we can end the lockdown. That's why, today, we can begin really meaningful steps to open up our city and state, to have our freedoms back," he said.
"Today is a day to say thank you to more than 5.1 million Victorians who've had at least one dose and that now more than 70% of Victorians who've had both."
Mr Andrews said he believed not next weekend but the weekend after, the state would go past the 80 per cent double-dosed mark.
"(We will be able to) deliver the items in the roadmap of our national plan, and if we can go further, we will make announcements to that effect," he said.
Earlier
VICTORIA has recorded another 2,189 new coronavirus cases overnight from just over 77,000 tests.
Sadly, 16 people with COVID-19 have died.
Another 38,339 vaccinations were also administered on Thursday.
Victoria's active coronavirus case tally now sits at 23,230.
There are 784 people in hospital with COVID-19 and 145 in intensive care.
These cases come as Bendigo Health says it is well prepared for further cases of COVID-19 in the community, and a new era of restrictions comes into force across regional Victoria.
The organisation says more than 80 per cent of patients currently battling COVID-19 in the city's hospital are not fully vaccinated.
Currently, there are 12 people in the hospital's COVID-19 ward, four are in intensive care and of those, two are on a ventilator.
The state government has scrambled to end confusion and anger over the vaccine mandate for hospitality, hairdressers and beauty industry workers in regards to double vaccinations rules.
With just 12 hours until regional Victoria is able to ease its restrictions, deputy Chief Health Officer Ben Cowie finally gave some clarity as to the rules surrounding the affected industries.
Venues who don't have all staff fully vaccinated can continue to operate for now as long as all staff have at least one dose, but they cannot take the next step in the government's roadmap and cannot allow more people in their doors.
This would mean they remain limited to 10 patrons indoors and 30 outdoors.
The new rules begin today, Friday, October 22.
Only venues with all staff in attendance fully-vaccinated can take the next step, which would mean opening to 30 people indoors and 100 outdoors.
At 11:59pm tonight, updated isolation protocols will be in place for new and existing close contacts who have received both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine and who don't live in the same house as someone who has COVID-19.
A close contact is a person who has come into contact with someone who has COVID-19 (such as at work or a public exposure site) and has to quarantine.
Under the new protocols, non-household primary close contacts who are fully vaccinated will only need to quarantine for 7 days, instead of 14. To be released, they will need to return negative test results from a test taken on day 6 of their quarantine.
Household and/or unvaccinated PCCs will still be required to isolate for 14 days. This includes children and people who have a medical exemption to COVID-19 vaccination, due to the high risk of transmission in households.
Process for new primary close contacts
People who are identified as close contacts after 11:59pm tonight will receive an interactive SMS to determine their eligibility for the reduced 7 day quarantine. Verification and audit measures will be in place, including checking against immunisation records.
If the contact is eligible for the 7 day quarantine period, they will be informed of their quarantine length and sent a subsequent test reminder by SMS to get tested on day 6. If a negative test result is received from a test taken on day 6, the contact can leave quarantine from 11:59pm on day 7 of their quarantine period.
Process for existing primary close contacts
The Department will tomorrow send an SMS to approximately 23,000 existing primary close contacts who we determine may be eligible for reduced quarantine. The SMS will ask if you are fully vaccinated and if you live with a confirmed case. Should a response to the message not be received, you may receive a phone call to verify.
The SMS will advise contacts of their reduced quarantine period and new day 6 testing requirements. It will state:
"You must have a negative test result on day 6 of your quarantine period to be able to finish quarantine. Once you receive your negative test result you can stop quarantining at 11:59pm on your day 7. If you are already past day 6 of your quarantine period, you can get tested immediately and will be free to leave quarantine as soon as you get your negative test result."
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