The Merrivale Primary School student tragically drowned at Belfast Aquatics in Port Fairy on his first overnight school camp with his grade two class last week.

Only 10 people can attend the service in Warrnambool today, not including those who conduct the service.

His family had been hopeful for a different result after acting premier James Merlino yesterday flagged a potential exemption for the cap on numbers at the service.

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Loved ones who cannot attend the service plan to light a candle for Cooper to pay their respects this morning.

A GoFundMe page to cover funeral expenses and support Cooper's parents Skye and Heath, as well as his brother Jett, has already raised more than $97,000.

South West Coast MP Roma Britnell said she was disappointed an exemption wasn't granted for the funeral in Warrnambool, more than 250 kilometres from Melbourne.

"I've been speaking with Skye over the past 24 hours and am pretty disappointed with how this has played out," she said.

"The acting Premier gave the family a glimmer of hope yesterday morning there may be an exemption but then Skye didn't hear anything until after 5pm last night - and even then it wasn't a yes or a no.

"I understand the department was busy yesterday but when you publicly state you are going to call a grieving mother, you make sure you do it and you make sure that call provides the info they need.

"I was in personal contact with the acting premier last night urging him to make sure Skye and the family got a clear yes or no answer but it appears that hasn't happened.

"I'm so deeply sorry that the family has had to go through this on top of everything else they are dealing with and I am thinking of them today as they farewell Cooper."

An internal email to parents and staff from Merrivale Primary School implored the community to "stay away" from the service.

"The Department of Health has denied the exemption to have increased numbers attend the funeral," it reads.

"The Onyett family have asked people stay away.

"A memorial for Cooper will be planned at a later date."

Minister Merlino said it was ultimately a public health decision.

"This is, as I said yesterday, an awfully awfully tragic case of a child who drowned while on a school camp," he said on Friday. "It's every parent's worst nightmare.

"But in terms of exemptions, those of course for public health and I asked the public health team to reach out to the family and I know that they did."

Victoria's Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton extended his condolences to the family.

"This is the most tragic of circumstances, I can't express enough my sorry for the family," he said.

"The exemptions team did speak to the family and did assess the request.

"I wasn't personally involved, the Chief Health Officer doesn't have a role, appropriately, and I understand that the request was declined.

"I think these are the most difficult decisions for the exemptions team to make, and it will be weighing extremely heavily on them, but our thoughts are with the family at such extraordinarily difficult times.

"I don't know the thinking behind it, I am sure they are considering the equity issues for everyone who will unfortunately have funerals in coming days, and the equity issues around how you manage the risk in those settings, because we know that transmission occurs in large gatherings."

A spokesman for Mr Merlino's office said funerals were considered high-risk events for COVID transmission because of the interactions that occur between mourners.

"This is a particularly tragic case and our condolences go out to the family and friends," he said.

"Yesterday the public health team reached out to Cooper's family to see what could be done. Ultimately it is a decision of public health, as is appropriate."

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