Coronavirus: Ryman Healthcare bans children and restricts visits to Wheelers Hill Weary Dunlop and Nellie Melba villages

Two large retirement villages in Melbourne’s east have banned visits from children and grandchildren and introduced security patrols to protect its residents from the coronavirus outbreak.

A security guard pictured out the front of Ryman Healthcare's Weary Dunlop retirement village in Wheelers Hill this morning. Picture: Supplied.

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Retirement village operator Ryman Healthcare has banned children and non-essential visits from its two large villages in Wheelers Hill in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.

In an update posted on its website last night, the New Zealand-based healthcare provider introduced strict new measures at its Weary Dunlop and Nellie Melba villages.

It comes after Villa Maria Catholic Homes banned visitors at its 11 Melbourne sites for the next two weeks.

All visitors now face security check-ins and temperature checks, with guards spotted at the front gates of the Weary Dunlop village this morning.

Staff are now doing security and temperature checks at Ryman Healthcare's villages in Wheelers Hill due to the coronavirus outbreak. Picture: Supplied.

Only visits to residents who are “extremely frail”, in distress or in palliative care are allowed, provided the visitor takes a temperature test on arrival.

Grandchildren have also been asked to stay away “for the next few weeks”.

All group activities and meetings within Ryman’s villages, including happy hours and exercise classes, have also been postponed.

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Staff are also having daily temperature checks and only coming to work if they or their families are well.

“We know that older people are the most vulnerable to the coronavirus, and it is critical that we keep everyone safe during this emergency in Victoria,” Ryman Healthcare corporate affairs manager Ryan King wrote.

“We want to make sure our villages are safe havens for our residents.”

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