As regional Victoria prepares to embrace a flood of Melbourne visitors over the long weekend, there have been mixed reactions from non-metro residents fearing a potential spike in COVID-19 cases.
Victoria's health authorities have warned regional residents to prepare for an increase in COVID-positive visitors.
Rural Doctors Association of Victoria president Rob Phair said rural health services were already under strain and "if you put the burden of COVID on top of that, we're really stretched".
Dr Phair said smaller towns with big tourist numbers would have to transport COVID patients to larger regional centres.
The good news is that first-dose vaccination rates are above 90 per cent in country areas.
Hospital 'as prepared as it can be'
Ballarat Health Services is "as prepared as it can be" for an influx of COVID-19 patients as the state reopens and case numbers rise in the regions, according to executive director of acute operations Ben Kelly.
The hospital has a new pop-up marquee to treat more COVID patients and has teamed with nearby private hospital St John of God to redirect non-COVID patients.
Mr Kelly said his main concern about the likely rise in COVID patients was the pressure his staff would be put under.
Barwon Health, which covers holiday hotspots around Geelong, Bellarine and Surf Coast, said in a statement that it too was bracing for an increase in demand for its services over summer.
"We are confident that we have appropriate plans in place to manage any increased workload from COVID or summer tourists, including additional bed capacity, staffing redeployments when necessary, and new clinics if required," the statement said.
Accommodation operators 'on edge'
The Beechworth Lake Sambell Caravan Park has booked out all of its cabins and powered sites for the next two weekends.
And while a boom in business is welcome, owner Susan Humphris is feeling some angst about the influx of Melbourne tourists.
"We're a bit on edge because we feel like it's not a matter of if we're going to get a case, but when we're going to get a case," she said.
Ms Humphris said she was particularly concerned that visitors to the park were not required by law to be fully vaccinated.
"We've got people that are ringing us asking if our staff are vaxxed, and I'm saying, 'Yes, but you do realise that accommodation is not mandated so you could be camping next to an un-vaxxed family'," she said.
In Port Fairy, in the state's south-west, Bec Holt's mobile phone has been ringing "off the hook" since the eased restrictions were announced on Sunday.
Ms Holt, who manages a caravan park in Port Fairy, said the return of Melburnians to the regions had been a long-time coming.
"We're really excited about Melbourne being able to come down to our pretty little town," she said.
However, Ms Holt feels some apprehension.
"From a personal perspective, I guess I'm a little bit nervous," she said.
"If COVID does come to Port Fairy, or if we do have a case in our caravan park, are we going to be forced to lock down for 14 days and send all of our visitors home? How are we going to manage that?
Food charities worried
Bendigo-based Foodshare, which supports the Loddon Mallee region which covers around a quarter of Victoria, is bracing for an increase in demand.
Which was concerning, as the service was already almost at capacity, Bridget Bentley said.
"It's difficult to know what's going to happen but we're looking to other regional cities where numbers have gone up, and they're already having to give out a lot more food hampers.
