Benjamin Millar
Visitors to five separate Highpoint shopping centre stores are being forced into 14-day quarantine after the locations were identified as Tier 1 COVID-19 exposure sites.
The Victorian Department of Health and Human Services sounded the alarm on Monday after contact tracers tracked a COVID-positive patient’s movements back to the popular Maribyrnong shopping centre on the evening of May 20.
The Department further revised its public exposure sites warning for Highpoint shopping centre on Tuesday afternoon, naming Lush Cosmetics, Toyworld, Smiggle, Kidstuff and Ishka as Tier 1 exposure sites.
Visitors to Highpoint shopping centre are required to get tested immediately and quarantine for 14 days from exposure if they attended any of these locations during the following times on Thursday, May 20:
– Kidstuff (Level 2) from 5.20pm – 5.55pm
– Toyworld (Level 2) from 5.30pm – 6.20pm
– Ishka (Level 2) from 5.45pm – 6.20pm
– Smiggle (Level 3) from 5.55pm – 6.30pm
– Lush Cosmetics (Level 2) from 6.05pm – 6.35pm
Shoppers who visited all other areas on Levels 2 and 3 from 5.15pm – 6.35pm are required to get tested urgently and to isolate until they receive a negative result.
Highpoint owner GPT said that centre management has received notification the centre has been listed as a COVID-19 public exposure site by the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services.
A spokesperson said centre management continues to monitor the situation, and is following all relevant advice and guidance issued by the Department of Health and Human Services with regards to COVID-19.
“We will continue with all precautionary hygiene measures already implemented, including heightened cleaning regimes throughout all high traffic areas,” the spokesperson said.
“The comfort and safety of customers, tenants, contractors and staff at Highpoint remains the utmost priority at all times.”
Meanwhile, further sites in Epping have been revealed.
Aldi Epping between 6pm and 7.30pm on May 23, Chemist Depot Epping in Pacific Shopping Centre between 11.15am and 12pm on May 23 are classified as tier two sites.
The new exposure site listings come as some restrictions are reintroduced in Metro Melbourne on Tuesday night as the number of active coronavirus cases grew.
Masks will be compulsory indoors for anyone 12 years of age and older, private gatherings indoors will be limited to five people and public gatherings will be limited to 30 people.
Chief health officer Brett Sutton said the restrictions would remain in place until Friday, June 4, when they will be reviewed.
The reintroduction of restrictions follows a fifth positive COVID-19 case, a man in his 60s, connected to four people who tested positive in the City of Whittlesea on Monday.
Meanwhile Western Bulldogs players, football department staff and match-day staff have all received coronavirus tests and are currently isolating until they receive a negative result, after a staff member reported being at Highpoint Shopping Centre during the exposure period.
As a precautionary measure, players and staff were asked by the AFL, in consultation with the state government, to undergo testing and isolate to rule out any risk.
Players and staff are expected to be able to return to training on Wednesday, pending the negative test results being received overnight.
The Club expects minimal disruption to its preparations for Friday night’s match against Melbourne at Marvel Stadium.
