Local pubs, cafés hit by COVID staff shortages

IF THE pandemic or the restrictions on trade don’t get you, the lack of staff due to the number of young people getting COVID-19 at Christmas-New Year celebrations will.

That’s the scenario for several pubs and cafés across Bass Coast and South Gippsland and the latest to go down is the Cape Tavern at Cape Paterson.

They’ve posted the following message today:

“Unfortunately, due to a shortage of staff due to the impacts of COVID and isolation, we have made the decision to close the Tavern for the next few days,” they told Cape Tavern patrons today.

“Our main priority is to ensure the health and wellbeing of all our staff and customers, and we hope to be back as soon as we are able.

“We hope that you all continue to enjoy your holidays safely and please take care during these uncertain times,” they said.

The Cape Tavern hopes to be back up and operating in the next few days, so please support them, mindful the venue is not an exposure site.

They’re not on their own.

Cafés and pubs at Phillip Island, Corinella and Wonthaggi have had to close, revert to takeaways only or place other restrictions on hours of operations or products produced, not as a result of exposure in the venue, but because staff have gone down or have had to isolate due to household members getting COVID.

It’s hardly surprising there are a lot of people impacted.

Bass Coast officially added 102 new cases of COVID-19, according to the Victorian Health Department website on Thursday, January 6 for an active total of 322, the highest in Gippsland.

But the figure almost certainly captures only a fraction of the real number of new and active cases with testing centres in Wonthaggi and Leongatha reaching capacity shortly after opening again today.

Other people with symptoms or in households where there are positive cases are simply not getting tested or using Rapid Antigen Tests because none are available locally. Hundreds who are following the rules, trying to get a PCR test because they have symptoms are being turned away.

Gippsland’s six local government areas (LGAs) added a record 404 new cases today for a regional total of active cases of 1158.

• Gippsland 1158 active, 404 new
• Bass Coast 332 active, 102 new
• Baw Baw 141 active, 54 new
• East Gippsland 98 active, 35 new
• Latrobe City 319 active, 138 new
• South Gippsland 156 active, 35 new
• Wellington 122 active, 40 new

Cases by local postcode

• Inverloch (3996): 46 active, 13 new
• Wonthaggi (3995): 97 active, 27 new
• Corinella (3984): 24 active, 8 new
• Foster (3960): 14 active, 4 new
• Fish Creek (3959): 16 active, 3 new
• Meeniyan (3956): 18 active, 1 new
• Leongatha (3953): 44 active, 9 mew
• Korumburra (3950): 14 active, 4 new
• San Remo/Cape Woolamai: 52 active, 52 active, 16 new

Who can get tested?

The latest advice from the Victorian Health Department, Tuesday, January 4 is that “only people with COVID-19 symptoms and people who have tested positive on a Rapid Antigen Test should be getting a PCR test currently”.

“Asymptomatic people in the community who want to check if they have COVID-19 should not get a PCR test. They should opt for Rapid Antigen Tests, and if they are currently unavailable, should continue to monitor for symptoms and stay COVIDSafe.

“In addition, people who are required to use Rapid Antigen Tests (e.g., asymptomatic household contacts but cannot access a Rapid Antigen Test can get a PCR.”

New restrictions announced

• Those who receive a positive Rapid Antigen Test will now be considered as a "probable case", and will have to mandatory report the result to the Department of health either online or by phone, and will haver to advise household contacts. Starts from 11.59pm tonight, Thursday, January 6. This will provide access to health services and support. But those who get a positive RAT will have to isolate immediately.
• Reintroduction of 1 person per 2 metre rule indoors in hospitality venues (except seated in cinemas and threatre)
• Work from home where you can

The State Government has ordered 44 million Rapid Antigen Test kits, with 700,000 expected to arrive in the next few days.

Health Minister Martin Foley said it was predominantly young people, who had attended Christmas-New Year celebrations, that were testing positive.

"Of the new cases reported yesterday, some 40 per cent of those cases were people aged in their 20s, from hospitality-related environments," he said explaining why "sensible" restrictions were introduced indoors in hospitality spaces.