One of Australia's top doctors has said that a "complacent attitude" and a non-streamlined Victorian COVID check-in system have been big contributors to the state's current outbreak.
Talking on Today this morning, Melbourne GP and former AMA President Dr Tony Bartone also said that the speed at which the infection had grown in the southern state was also "a significant point of concern."
It comes as Victorian Health Authorities added several new COVID exposure sites overnight, including a large food distribution facility.
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"150 exposure sites and significantly grown overnight, 15,000 contacts, that is really huge - it's going to be effort required to get it all under control," Dr Bartone said.
Dr Bartone also suggested that a streamlined COVID check-in system was a "really significant way" that contract tracers could get on top of COVID outbreaks much earlier.
Until yesterday, Victorian venues were allowed to use 16 different types of check-in systems.
"So, the next few days will be vital and critical in terms of determining whether seven days will be sufficient."
Dr Bartone further revealed the toll the Melbourne cluster is having on local GPs, including his own Whittlesea practice, citing a spike in patients after "weeks of complacency".
"We had the increased volume of people who needed to be tested as well as people seeking to be vaccinated, suddenly after weeks of complacency; you might say," Dr Bartone said.
"It's been an enormously stressful week."
