Kids banned from visiting loved ones in hospital

Children are still banned from visiting their siblings and parents in hospital under tough Covid protocols brought in during the peak of the pandemic.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews. Picture: Luis Enrique Ascui

Victorian hospitals are continuing to impose strict visitor restrictions that were brought into force at the peak of the first covid outbreak, despite the rest of the state largely returning to business as usual.

While aged residents are now allowed up to five visitors a day – and they don’t need to be fully vaccinated – visitors to adult patients in hospital, and being accompanied to medical appointments with your partner or dependent children attend is heavily restricted.

Fully vaccinated visitors are only allowed to palliative care patients and those with a life threatening condition, while visits to teenagers and children are capped and come with time limits.

Children over the age of 12 months are banned from attending hospitals across the state to either visit adult family members or their siblings. They are also unable to accompany a parent to a medical appointment.

DAN’S FIRST ORDER UNDER NEW PANDEMIC LAWS

Daniel Andrews has made the state’s first formal pandemic declaration under Victoria’s new pandemic management laws.

It will replace the current State of Emergency which expires at 11:59pm on December 15.

It would have been in place for 640 days since it was first declared on March 16 last year.

The Premier said after considering advice from the chief health officer he considered the pandemic declaration was necessary because he was satisfied on reasonable grounds there was a serious risk to public health throughout Victoria.

“We’ve learned a lot over the past two years of this global pandemic,” he said.

“Now, we’re applying these lessons to manage pandemics in the future, support our public health system, keep Victorians safe and keep our vaccinated economy open.”

The pandemic legislation was passed by parliament last week after weeks of widespread public debate and protests.

After lengthy negotiations with crossbenchers, the Bill was passed 20 votes to 18.

The new legislation shifts the responsibility for making pandemic orders from the chief health officer to the Premier and Health Minister.