Coronavirus: Whitehorse Council issues free parking permits for major hospitals
The cost of parking around our biggest hospitals has been a sore spot for a long time, but with medical staff on the frontline in the fight against coronavirus they are finally getting a reprieve.
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Weary hospital staff across Whitehorse are getting free parking as they battle to treat people suffering coronavirus.
The council has issued parking permits to a number of hospitals and other essential emergency services, with key staff at Eastern Health, Epworth Eastern, Mitcham Private Hospital and the Peter James Centre getting access to free parking.
Whitehorse Mayor Sharon Ellis said the permits would be issued at the discretion of hospital administrators.
“Staff can display permits and park on-street all day around the hospital networks,” Cr Ellis said.
“We appreciate the work our hospital staff are doing during this difficult period and hope this is one less thing for them to be worried about during their shifts.”
There are a number of large carparks available to hospital staff from both Epworth Eastern and Eastern Health.
The hospitals can request additional permits from the council if required.
Visitors are being asked to think twice before coming to see family or friends who are patients at Box Hill hospital, in a bid to protect the wards from the deadly disease.
People are being asked to consider whether a phone call to a patient will do instead of a visit to their family member of friend.
They’re also asked to avoid visiting people made vulnerable by their age or other health issues.
Visiting times for urgent cases have been restricted to between 4pm to 8pm, with a limit of two visitors a day for a maximum of two hours a day per patient. No visitors under 16 are allowed.
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People visiting hospitals are asked to wash their hands before entering and exiting.
Eastern Health’s chief medical officer Alison Dwyer said the organisation “prides itself on providing great care”.
“Our dedicated medical, nursing and allied health staff are well trained, and continue to provide the care that is required for every patient at Eastern Health,” she said.