Health officials are warning East Gippslanders they must maintain their commitment to staying home and practising social distancing in order to combat the spread of coronavirus.

East Gippsland health providers are hoping that people follow the direction of state authorities and that there is a complete absence of traveller and holiday makers.

Victoria Police and the state’s Chief Health Officer have both urged Victorians to stay home in order to reduce the spread of COVID-19 to regional areas where smaller health systems do not have the resources to cope with a surge of people contracting the disease.

“If you don’t have to leave home, please don’t leave home,” Victoria’s Chief Health Officer, Professor Brett Sutton, said.

“We certainly don’t want people going to communities and causing concern because they are not following the directives that we’ve laid out.”

Bairnsdale Regional Health Service chief executive officer, Robyn Hayles, said that despite a recent slowdown in the rate of new COVID-19 cases, the health service continues to prepare for any break out of community transmission infections in the area.

“How many people are impacted by this disease is up to the people of this community,” Hayles said. “The threat of coronavirus in East Gippsland is as grave today as it has been since the beginning of this crisis,” she said.

“But, we know that by staying home, and by practising social distancing and vigilant hygiene, we have the power to stop coronavirus from overrunning our community, so that’s what we must do.”

Mrs Hayles reminded the community that BRHS is here for you if you have emergency care needs, but urged people to stay away from the hospital if their care needs were not urgent, or if they were considering visiting.

Chair of the BRHS board of management, Peter Murphy, said that locals and visitors alike must follow the clear and simple directions of health authorities.

Those directions are: Stay home whenever possible; Wash your hands regularly; Cover your coughs and sneezes in your elbow; No unnecessary travel.

“We understand how lovely East Gippsland can be and what a great time some families and friends have getting together,” Mr Murphy said.

“BRHS staff are doing a great job at ensuring patients that need care now receive it, while continuing to prepare and plan for any increases in COVID demand. We ask you to help them by staying home.”

Murphy said that by staying at home people would help restrict the spread of COVID-19 in the community.

“This will mean that fewer people in your town, in your street, and in your family, will contract COVID-19 and get sick. And it will mean that BRHS and health services in country Victoria will be better able to treat those people that need help,” he said.

IMAGE: Bairnsdale Regional Health Service employees are urging the community to stay home to avoid a coronavirus outbreak in the region, for their sake.