Businesses in Yarrawonga speak out about Covid crisis

Tensions are running high in Yarrawonga as the town battles its first outbreak with one woman demanding a business shut down after being exposed to the virus.

Yarrawonga is on edge as the Victorian-NSW community battles its first Covid outbreak after one woman demanded a business shut down after it was exposed to the virus.

Others have no other choice but to close their doors with hundreds of locals forced into isolation as the Murray River community fights to contain its cluster of 73 cases.

Yarrawonga Bakery owner Damian Cummins said an anonymous woman called demanding his business close after a staff member tested positive to Covid.

“The caller wouldn’t name herself but she said we should be shut down and that we weren’t doing the right thing,” Mr Cummins said.

“But, we’ve been in contact with the Department of Health ... and the whole staffing unit at Yarrawonga Bakery are double vaccinated.

“We even had the Shepparton Covid department spend a week here in Yarrawonga to make sure all our businesses ticked all the boxes.”

Despite the anonymous outburst Mr Cummins said his store had received a lot of support from most locals and his business had been busier since the attack.

Burke's Hotel Motel owner Andrew Curran says Covid has put pressure on his business but he is confident it will bounce back before Christmas. Picture: Hannah Davies

But some businesses have been forced to close with so many of their staff forced into isolation.

Andrew Curran, Yarrawonga Burke’s Hotel Motel owner, said five of his staff haven’t been able to work because of the outbreak.

“So we’ve been impacted fairly substantially in the last couple of days,” said Mr Curran.

“Another pub here had to close for the day because they simply didn’t have any staff left.”

Mr Curran said he remained hopeful the town would bounce back before Christmas.

“The future looks really rosy for the town, although it’s been trying. I think Christmas will be crazy busy,” he said.