UNDER the tighter state government restrictions up to 10 people will be able to attend funerals in the south-west.
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From midnight on Wednesday, 10 people plus the people conducting the funeral will be able to attend funerals and five people including two witnesses and a celebrant will be able to attend weddings.
Victorians will not be allowed to attend church or religious ceremonies, with services to instead be broadcast.
Steve Lamb, from Macqueens Funerals in Terang and Camperdown, said funerals were a time to bring people together and it was difficult to have to keep people apart at a significant point in people's lives.
Mr Lamb said the tighter restrictions didn't make his job any nicer.
"We're dealing with families and in this area a lot of families are quite big," he said.
"They have to make some tough decision of who can attend their loved ones funeral.
"There is nothing we can do to alleviate their pain."
Mr Lamb said the reintroduction of harder restrictions was expected given the increase of COVID-19 cases.
"It was inevitable," he said.
"Given the numbers were going up in Melbourne and they were creeping up in Colac."
Mr Lamb said the restrictions had meant a number of changes for how he and his staff delivered their services.
"I see funerals as a time for bringing people together and it is hard for us that we have to now keep people apart," he said.
"Even for us as funeral directors, our job is to meet with people and we become a big part of a family's life for a very short period of time and we're not able to do that.
"A lot of the work that we would normally do face to face we're now having to do on the phone and it's not a nice way for us to do our job.
"It's sad for us, it's upsetting but we've just got to do what we've got to do.
"We've just got to stay safe and follow the rules."
Previously up to 50 people were allowed to attend funerals in regional Victoria and up to 20 people could attend weddings.
Places of worship in regional Victoria could open for up to 20 people.
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