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Woolworths implements new measures to keep Victorian shoppers safe

Woolworths has taken another step to protect customers from coronavirus as Victoria’s infection toll continues to grow.

Nurses are now in place across its hotspot stores, Victorian distribution centres and customer online fulfilment centre, the supermarket announced on Friday.

However, the nurses are only for staff.

“Compulsory temperature checks are also taking place for all team members at these sites,” a statement from Woolworths said.

The retail giant has also extended leave entitlements for vulnerable staff members, that being staff who have illness or are older than 70, until July 29.

People shop at a Woolworths supermarket in Sydney.
Woolworths has brought in nurses to look after unwell staff. Source: Getty Images (file pic)

Woolworths Supermarkets managing director Claire Peters said Woolies continues to see “elevated demand” but assured shoppers it has “good stock levels”.

“We want to reassure everyone in Victoria that our distribution centres, customer online fulfilment centre and our supermarkets remain open and will continue to operate as essential services for the customers and communities that depend on them,” Ms Peters said.

“If you’re in a hotspot area, we would encourage you to consider doing your grocery shopping online if possible. Together with our on-demand courier partners, we are able to fulfil thousands of extra orders each week.”

On Friday, Victoria reported 66 new coronavirus cases.

Victoria’s Health Minister Jenny Mikakos said more than 10,000 people had “disappointingly” refused testing in the state.

“That might be for a range of reasons, including that they may have already been tested in a different location – we are analysing that data to see exactly why people are refusing – but it is concerning that some people believe that coronavirus is a conspiracy or that it won't impact on them,” she said.

Earlier this week, Victoria moved to lockdown 10 postcodes which contain some of the state’s hotspots.

Premier Daniel Andrews said there are only four reasons people living in these hotspots will be permitted to leave the house.

“For work or school, for care or care giving, for daily exercise, for food and other essentials,” he said.

“They are the acceptable reasons to leave but only if you need to.

“It is not an opportunity to go shoe shopping, it is not an opportunity to be taking daily exercise for the whole day and particularly not outside the suburbs I am about to list which will be the subject of these orders.”

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