Warrnambool Sheetmetal staff isolating after it was listed as a Tier 1 exposure site

"All staff have received negative results back," the company said in a Facebook post.

"We will continue to isolate as required and monitor closely for any symptoms.

"We have been overwhelmed with the many phone calls and messages of support and kind wishes.

"Please stay safe."

WEDNESDAY: A Warrnambool business owner says he is devastated to have to close his doors after it was listed as a Tier 1 COVID-19 exposure site on Wednesday morning.

Warrnambool Sheetmetal owner Haydn Kavanagh closed the business on Tuesday afternoon and got tested prior to Barwon South West Public Health Unit listing it as an exposure site on Wednesday morning.

Mr Kavanagh said he acted quickly upon realising he'd had contact with a positive COVID-19 case on Monday.

The owner and his four staff members have been tested and are currently isolating at home.

"We're shut for a couple of weeks which is a pretty ordinary position," Mr Kavanagh said. "It's just devastating news and expensive."

He said he followed the health advice and acted quickly to protect the community.

"The last thing you want to be doing is the wrong thing," Mr Kavanagh said. "You've got to get tested and hope we're right and sit tight.

"There's not much else we can do. We've all been tested today. Hopefully it all comes back negative."

Mr Kavanagh said a COVID-19 positive person who he was trialling for a new position at the business worked onsite on Monday.

"He turned up Tuesday for 30 seconds and said he was sick and I told him to go and get tested. He rang me back at the end of the day and said he was positive. As soon as he said he was positive I rang Barwon Health," Mr Kavanagh said. "I chose to shut the shop last night and get tested. I was contacted again this morning and was told I was Tier 1 and worked out we'll be shut for a few weeks."

He said the premises would undergo a deep clean on Friday and may open sooner than 14 days.

Mr Kavanagh said there was one staff member who wasn't working on the day of exposure, who might be able to start work next week but he would seek further information and clarification as the week went on.

The health advice says anyone who has been at a Tier 1 site at the time and date of exposure must get tested and isolate for 14 days from the exposure date, regardless of their test result. Their household contacts must also isolate for 14 days from the date of exposure.

"At this stage we're shut for two weeks," he said.

He said he informed customers of the situation on the business' Facebook and Instagram pages and urged anyone who'd visited the site to get tested and isolate.

He said it was an unfortunate situation.

"I've rung a few people and they've been very understanding," he said. "There's not much you can do. They can either say 'I'll get someone else to do it' or wait and so far they've been fine."

He said fortunately they didn't have any big commercial jobs on at the moment, but were still busy.

"We're behind the eight ball as it is. We're chasing staff members, hence we were trying out some new labour."

He said the business was experiencing "frightening" skill shortages but they weren't alone, with many industries in the same boat.

"It's a rare trade and as far as skilled tradesmen go, my father spent his whole life trying to chase good ones.

"Sometimes you get them and sometimes you lose them and then you're doing the same again and going around in circles.

"Skill shortages is an absolute understatement and it's almost everywhere. You've got to get the experience under your belt and there's not many that are good at it."

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