From 11:59pm on Friday to 11:59pm on Wednesday, health services, like all Victorians, will return to stage 4 restrictions as authorities work to prevent the spread of a highly-infectious UK strain of the coronavirus.

Wimmera Base Hospital will only welcome visitors in three specific situations: parents of children who are in hospital, partners of patients giving birth, and visitors for seriously ill patients who are receiving palliative care.

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All non-urgent surgeries booked for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday will be postponed.

Wimmera Health Care Group director of medical services Dr Rob Pegram said services were prepared for the impending restrictions.

"These have all happened before, so nothing is new. It's simply a back to the future situation where we've had to re-impose these restrictions," he said.

"The critical issue for this new variant and its infectivity is that we have to stop people spreading around.

"That is the only way we're going to stop the spread and bring it back under control.

"So, although it's an inconvenience for four or five days, it's better than the inconvenience of a major, major outbreak.

"These are measures designed to stop the movement of people and reduce the likelihood of the virus spreading."

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During stage four restrictions there are only four permitted reasons to leave home: shopping for essential items, essential work, permitted education that cannot be done from home and exercise for up to two hours a day with people from your household.

People leaving for the reasons must stay within 5 km of their residence.

Masks must be worn everywhere outside the home and public and private gatherings will not be permitted.

Dr Pegram urged residents to follow the government's guidelines.

"Keep doing the right thing, which is restrict your travel and wear your mask all the time," he said.

"Keep social distancing and maintain hand hygiene."

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