The MCG Has Been Added to Melbourne's Growing List of COVID-19 Exposure Sites

It has been two days since Victorian authorities identified the first cases in Melbourne's new COVID-19 cluster, and the list of exposure sites has been expanding ever since. At the moment, the Department of Health's case alerts span 43 locations, covering suburbs such as Brunswick, the CBD, Fitzroy North and Maribyrong, and even extending out to Bendigo. Not yet included on the website, but announced overnight on social media: the MCG.

One of the current positive cases attended the Collingwood versus Port Adelaide match on Sunday, May 23, which means that some fellow AFL fans will now need to get tested and self-isolate until they receive a negative result. The case sat in Zone 4 on Level 1 of the Great Southern Stand, at the Punt Road end — with the new alert covering attendees sitting in bays between M1 and M16.

The Department of Health has advised that it will get in contact with all affected ticket holders directly, and that folks with closer contact to the case may be given other advice. And, in general, everyone who went to the game is asked to look out for symptoms, then get tested if even the mildest arise.

As the MCG hasn't yet been added to the Department of Health's website so far — the announcement was made via social media at 11.49pm on Tuesday, May 25 — it hasn't yet been given a tier under Victoria's grading system for exposure sites. But, among the places currently listed, 21 have been designated as Tier 1, which requires getting tested and self-isolating for 14 days. They include Bamboo House on Little Bourke Street, between 11–11.50am on Friday, May 21; Woolworths in Epping, between 6.25–7.15 on the same day; Coles in Epping, between 6.45–7.35 also on the Friday; Woolworths in Epping North, from 4.45–5.45pm on Saturday,  May 22; and Secco and Co in Fitzroy North, between 7.35–8.55pm on Saturday — among others.

Also, the alert for Highpoint Shopping Centre, one of the first places identified, has now been broken down into separate alerts for different stores. Toyworld, Lush Cosmetics, Ishka, Kidstuff and Smiggle are now considered Tier 1 venues, with all other areas on Level 2 and 3 deemed Tier 2.

In response to the latest cases, new restrictions have been implemented in Greater Melbourne, as has an indoor mask mandate.

Melburnians can keep an eye on the local list of exposure sites at the Department of Health website — as usual, as it will change as more sites are identified.

For those looking to get tested, you can find a list of testing sites including regularly updated waiting times also on the Department of Health website.

And, has remained the case throughout the pandemic, Melburnians should be looking out for coughs, fever, sore or scratchy throat, shortness of breath, or loss of smell or taste, symptoms-wise.

For further details on the latest exposure sites and updated public health advice, see the Department of Health website.

Top image: Sascha Wenninger via Flickr.