Mornington Peninsula officially COVID-19 free, remains under strict Stage 4 lockdown with metropolitan Melbourne
The Mornington Peninsula remains under strict Stage 4 lockdown despite not one resident battling COVID-19, as a community push to free the region from the metropolitan Melbourne area, which includes the local mayor, gains momentum.
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The Mornington Peninsula is officially coronavirus free, it has been revealed.
But no celebrations are allowed as residents must continue to obey strict Stage 4 lockdown laws with metropolitan Melbourne.
The Department of Health and Human Services confirmed there were no active cases in the region on Monday afternoon.
It comes as Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt on Friday demanded Premier Daniel Andrews release the Mornington Peninsula from Melbourne’s stage four lockdown.
He said the peninsula had “met or surpassed all thresholds that the rest of regional Victoria has achieved”.
The State Government had previously treated Mitchell Shire as part of Melbourne, before easing its restrictions, which Mr Hunt said was a precedent.
Mayor Sam Hearn last week said the region desperately needed a “soft launch” so traders and tourist operators could prepare for a COVID-safe summer.
He said including Mornington Peninsula in the easing of restrictions scheduled for country and regional Victoria was the best way to avoid a third wave of coronavirus.
A petition to release the region from strict metropolitan Melbourne lockdown laws approached 3000 signatures on Monday afternoon.
A total of 181 cases have been confirmed in the region since the coronavirus outbreak.
Owner operator of Lakeside Villas at Crittenden Estate, Linda Crittenden, last week said it was hard to understand why Mornington Peninsula was not included in the regional reopening when it had met the benchmarks set under the Premier’s road map to recovery.
She said operators were “sitting ducks”.
“We’ve had low case numbers for ages. I don’t think there has been any new cases not linked to aged care outbreaks for more than two weeks.
brittany.goldsmith@news.com.au
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