Victorian Health Minister slams Facebook decision

Fifteen of the 19 coronavirus cases associated with Melbourne’s Holiday Inn cluster have so far been genomically linked to the hotel outbreak.

“We’re going to need those systems of engagements on all platforms particularly as we move into vaccinations,” he said. “Anything that removes credible and reliable information sources in the midst of a global pandemic is beyond regrettable and needs to be fixed.”

The call for Facebook to reinstate the flow of health-based news information comes as the state exits a snap five-day lockdown prompted by concerns the highly infectious UK strain of the virus had spread into the community.

Children across Victoria have returned to school and shops reopened for business after stage four restrictions relaxed from midnight.

Masks, however, must continue to be worn inside and outside where social distancing cannot be achieved.

People are restricted to having five visitors a day at their homes and outdoor gatherings are capped at 20 people.

The Australian Open will return also to 50 per cent capacity from today, with nearly 7500 people allowed into Melbourne Park per session.

More than 30,000 coronavirus tests were performed on Wednesday, the health department said.

Victoria’s COVID-19 response commander Jeroen Weimar said the department had doorknocked more than 1000 people ordered to stay at home during the past four days with less than three people found to be in the wrong place.

“They’re now back in the right place,” he said.

Mr Weimar said their main area of concern was now with Alfred Health’s northern and Broadmeadows mental health services.

He said more than 90 staff and 30 patients declared close contacts had returned negative test results with investigations continuing. “We can now be confident of no transmission inside those environments,” he said.

Testing of more than 70 people at a Ballarat school this week had also returned 64 negative test results so far.

Late last night, Western Australia revealed it would relax border restrictions with travellers from Victoria, who will be allowed in from Saturday subject to undergoing home quarantine and getting tested for COVID-19.

Tasmania, South Australia, the Northern Territory and the ACT have lifted travel restrictions for Victorians.

Meanwhile, businesses are calling for more clarity in the lead-up to future snap lockdowns the Chief Health Officer said he was unable to rule out.

Victorian Chamber of Commerce chief executive officer, Paul Guerra, said businesses needed more clarity in the lead-up to lockdown decisions.

“This one, in particular, knocked a lot of businesses just completely out of the park. No-one saw it coming and then all of a sudden we’re in lockdown,” Mr Guerra told The Today Show.

“Victoria, we’re nudging towards more lockdowns than Rocky movies. That’s not a good thing for anybody in this state. It destroys confidence and destroys the ability to get going.”

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The Australian Industry group believes some $2.3 billion in household spending was lost or postponed during Victoria’s hard lockdown.

“Businesses will only cautiously welcome the end of the latest Victorian lockdown given the ongoing possibility of future snap state closures and continuing quarantine failures,” said the group’s Victorian boss Tim Piper.

The hard lockdown may have ended, but more than 3000 people potentially exposed to the virus as a result of Victoria’s Holiday Inn outbreak are still self-isolating.

The incubation period will end for the majority of those people next Friday, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews revealed on Wednesday.