Dr Liz Mullins says parents should be confident the system is working after school students tested positive to COVID-19 in Batemans Bay.
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The Director of Medical Services at South East Regional Hospital said the response to a trio of new cases, including a student at each of Batemans Bay High School and Batemans Bay Public School, was prompt and effective.
"They should be confident that this is an example of the system working," Dr Mullins said.
"Someone has symptoms, they get the test, they get the result quickly, they isolate," she said.
Health authorities then traced contacts to direct them to isolate.
"If public health considers them a close contact they will be told to isolate and get tested," Dr Mullins said.
"Casual contacts are advised to look out for symptoms.
"That is how you manage a pandemic."
Dr Mullins said the virus continued to circulate and residents must accept this was "our life" and take all precautions.
"Yes, it is unsettling but this virus has not gone away and this is a good example of where we are able to jump onto it really quickly and put into isolation the people with think need to be in isolation," she said.
"This is going to be our life until there is a universally available vaccine."
She urged residents to do everything they could to prevent the spread of the virus.
"They cannot stop washing their hands, they must social distance, they must wear masks where they are in a place where they can't guarantee social distancing, because you never know where the virus us going to be," she said.
Dr Mullins said more serious restrictions would only imposed on the community if necessary.
"In Melbourne they are on level 4, which is really horrible," she said.
"You would only do that if it was really necessary."
Dr Mullins said tough measures such as border closures has "unforeseen impacts", such as people being unable to visit their parents.