Business Horsham is a signatory to a letter to Premier Daniel Andrews from the Victorian Regional Chamber Alliance, which unites 12 regional commerce groups from across the state, including Ballarat, Geelong and Bendigo.

The letter is a plea to the premier to further ease restrictions in regional areas from October 19, which Mr Andrews has repeatedly foreshadowed he will make the next major announcement on.

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Business Horsham ambassador Stacey Taig said businesses would struggle to survive if restrictions didn't ease soon.

"You get to a certain point where you can't come back. That's the tragic side of it," she said

"The longer this goes on, the harder it is for business owners to actually survive.

"It's all about sustaining, and how do you keep going if you don't have a customer base? They've still got bills to pay, they still have to run their businesses, and they can't do that unless they're actually provided with the ability to do so."

The letter states regional businesses, while linked to the Melbourne-based roadmap for reopening, will continue to "unnecessarily suffer", and hospitality businesses, in particular, are "haemorrhaging money" attempting to stay open with limited capacities.

"We're very aware of the need for the conservative approach so far, that's certainly worked," Ms Taig said.

"But, now, considering how regional Victoria has maintained those numbers for an extended period of time, it's only reasonable that we would expect our businesses and industries would be afforded the ability to move to the next stage."

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As of Tuesday afternoon, there were six active cases in regional Victoria - five of which were in the Mitchell Shire.

One new case in Geelong, was deemed to be a "previous positive" case that had been re-tested.

Premier Daniel Andrews has hinted an easing of restrictions in the regions could be announced at the end of the week.

Ms Taig believed businesses should be afforded the ability to operate at greater capacities.

"It's all common sense. It's not brain surgery," she said.

"The first time in lockdown it was all very much a panic-and fear-driven thing, but now we're looking at it from a risk management standpoint.

"The second time around it's more about: 'okay, here's the reality, 'let's weigh it up' and 'what are the odds'.

"You can't continue to go on and on and on and expect businesses to survive. That's where we're standing, and that's why we wanted to push forward."

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The letter states businesses across regional Victoria were now ready to being rebuilding safely.

"Venues are prepared now more than ever with policies and COVID Safe plans in place," the letter read.

"Business owners and operators heavily impacted or closed by the restrictions have invested endless time and resources into innovating their practices, developing policy, training staff, and transforming their operations to ensure they can maintain the safety of their workforce, clients, and broader communities.

"They understand that it is in their best interest to go above and beyond when it comes to not only preventing outbreaks but maintaining clear records should contact tracing be needed.

"We also advocate on behalf of the industries who have been left behind. These industries, inclusive of gyms and indoors group fitness could have opened as part of the first reopening,. They had proven their ability to apply strong hygiene practices and appropriately manage the risk of transmission."

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