ANYONE contemplating easing of COVID-19 restrictions needed only to look at the situation in north-west Tasmania to see how quickly a situation could escalate – particularly in rural and regional areas.

Member for Mildura Ali Cupper said the closure of two hospitals, the quarantining of up to 5000 people and closure of all non-essential business for two weeks in Burnie should act as a wake-up call against complacency.

Ms Cupper said she was proud of the way people in the Mildura electorate had largely complied over the Easter holiday period with the strict level three restrictions currently in place in Victoria.

“It was so heartening to know most people are trying to do the right thing with social distancing and cancelling all non-essential travel,” she said.

“Easter is the biggest weekend in Mildura for tourists and while it is heartbreaking to see it so quiet, it is also uplifting to know people in my electorate are taking the risks seriously.”

Ms Cupper said people needed to remain vigilant and some of the current narrative around easing of restrictions, particularly in rural areas, was far too premature.

“What is happening in Tasmania should serve as an example of what could happen in any rural area,” she said.

“Being in an isolated region like ours can be a double-edged sword.

“Yes, that isolation can be helpful in limiting the threat and spread of the virus but it also means you are so far away from the very best health care available in the metropolitan areas.

“It would be devastating for Mildura, for example, if its hospital was forced to close due to an outbreak of COVID-19 among staff.

“We have to continue to do everything we can to keep the numbers of COVID-19 cases as low as possible for as long as possible, and that means abiding by the restrictions in place.”