An infection control expert believes it is "sensible" for Melbourne residents to be required to undergo a COVID-19 test before heading to Alpine resorts.
The Victorian government announced on Wednesday that Melbourne visitors can travel to the snow on the condition they return a negative COVID-19 test in the 72 hours before their planned visit.
Infection control expert Professor Mary-Louise McLaws said the rule was "very sensible" because, despite visitors spending a lot of time outdoors, they would also be indoors resting within resorts.
"It can be up to 70 per cent more infectious than any wild strain. It's more infectious than the Alpha strain," she said.
Professor McLaws said warm, indoor areas were the perfect environment for spreading infection but said the virus did not discriminate.
"[Anyone who says] the virus itself likes one temperature, or one relative humidity, doesn't quite understand that this virus hooks onto bigger droplets and also hooks on to the smaller particles," she said.
"So, it is not just about temperature and humidity. It is about being close to people."
Questions have been raised as to whether those who are fully vaccinated should still need to be tested.
"The trials have proven that they are 100 per cent protected from death [and] 100 per cent protected from hospitalisation and severe infection," Professor McLaws said.
Professor McLaws said, however, recent evidence from younger people who had received the Pfizer vaccine in Israel and the US had shown that transmission would appear "less likely" — but not with a variant of concern, just with a less-infectious variant.
"You should get tested because you may be one of those people who haven't developed a perfect response. However, there are some better tests because a lot can happen in 72 hours," she said.
'Shock and horror'
Alpine Shire Council mayor John Forsyth said he reacted with "a bit of shock and horror" to the news that metropolitan visitors would have to undergo a COVID-19 test before attending the resorts.
Cr Forsyth said resort operators were unaware the restriction was coming, but the main issue was how the requirement was going to be policed at the resorts and the extra stress it would place on already stretched businesses.
"That is going to be the interesting factor — and whether or not the government has thought this through, in particular the impost on businesses," Cr Forsyth said.
Cr Forsyth said he understood the reasoning behind the mandatory testing and said it was "probably the correct thing to do".
"Its just how to we manage it. That's what we've got to get through," he said.
"I don't have a Melbourne postcode so, theoretically, I should be able to just go straight up there, but I am going to have to stop and show where my postcode is anyway."
Confusion continues
Victoria cross border commissioner Luke Wilson said he was unaware of how the COVID-19 testing requirements would be monitored in Alpine areas.
"I don't know what the arrangement is for doing that," he said.
Mr Wilson said he would encourage all travellers to have the test as early as possible before travelling, to allow enough time for results to come back.
"We know, sometimes, the results happen within a day but, quite often, it can take a couple of days, so you certainly wouldn't want to cut it fine."
