By Luke Voogt
Coronavirus fears have closed Bell Post Hill Medical Clinic amid claims a staff member has been diagnosed with the disease.
A resident, who wished to remain anonymous, told the Independent a staff member had been diagnosed with COVID-19 and that patients had been advised to self-isolate.
When the Independent phoned the Fairy Street clinic today a recorded message stated the building would be closed until March 30.
“This clinic is currently closed due to the coronavirus isolation and will reopen on Monday the 30th of March,” the recorded message said.
The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) declined to confirm or deny the claims due to “privacy reasons”.
Earlier today Geelong Grammar School said a student and five parents had tested positive for coronavirus this week.
In a letter to families, principal Rebecca Cody confirmed the school received notification at 7.45am on Friday, March 20, that a student had tested positive for COVID-19.
The school received another notification the night before, at 7.22pm, that a parent who attended a school cocktail party had tested positive.
At the time Ms Cody published the letter, at 10.30am, five patents who attended the Timbertop Parents’ Cocktail Party had received a positive diagnosis of COVID-19, she said.
“As part of its contact tracing processes for confirmed COVID-19 cases, the DHHS will contact families directly if they are deemed to be at high risk,” she wrote.
“In order to assist with the required contact tracing for this diagnosis, the school is providing information to the DHHS of the configuration of the boarding arrangements in the House, the classes attended by the student, as well as their co-curricular and sport activities.
“The school continues to work closely with the Department of Health and Human Services to identify and manage notifiable disease reporting.
“All parents of the Senior School House have been informed of this development by the Head of Campus.”
