Patients in Wimmera hospitals can have visitors once again, albeit with strict limitations.
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Hospitals across the region had suspended any visitation during Victoria's second spike of COVID-19 cases.
Horsham's Kerryn Hallam was one of many affected by the ban, as she was unable to visit her sick mother at the Wimmera Base Hospital.
Mrs Hallam said she understood and agreed with the decision to ban visitation, but it was nevertheless a difficult period to manage.
"You can completely understand why it had to be done, why we had to keep ourselves and our loved ones safe from the virus," she said.
"But it was difficult, to have someone in hospital who was quite sick and not able to visit.
"We weren't a special case. It's hard, not just on our family, but on a lot of families.
"It's good to know visitors can now return."
Fortunately, Mrs Hallam's mother has since made a full recovery and is back at home from the hospital.
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Patients at the Wimmera Base Hospital in the Wyuna, Yandilla and Oxley wards can now have one visitor per patient for a maximum of one hour.
For Wayuna, this period is strictly between 3pm and 5pm, while Yandilla and Oxley it is between 5pm and 7pm.
Patients are also now allowed to be accompanied into emergency.
Wimmera Health Care Group's Peter Miller said it was a gradual transition. He said there was likely to be restrictions in place on visitor numbers so long as the COVID-19 virus was still active.
"Every region has the choice of doing how they want to do it within the guidelines. Some are a bit more lenient than others, depending on whether they have had cases in their community and how it has impacted them," he said.
"We will transition through this and ease visitor numbers. The decisions are around protecting staff, patients and members of the community."
Meanwhile, hospitals in the West Wimmera region are allowing multiple visitors.
Visitors need to schedule an appointment, and there are also limits on the number of visitors permitted within the hospital at any time.
Children 16 years or young are not allowed to visit.
Visitors are also being allowed at West Wimmera aged care facilities, with similar rules.
"We understand that the current COVID-19 situation is concerning and at times distressing for all," West Wimmera Health Service said in a statement.
"(Our) priority is the residents' wellbeing and enabling choice in alternative means of communication with their loved ones during this difficult time."
FULL RULES AND RESTRICTIONS FROM WEST WIMMERA:
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