COVID-19 test results should be prioritised for ski resorts to ensure any cases don't result in major outbreaks, one alpine doctor has warned.
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Mark Zagorski, partner of the Mount Beauty and Falls Creek medical centres, said the Victorian government enabling quick results would be the best support for his staff this season.
"If we can get those results really fast, we could minimise an outbreak or keep it restricted to one building or one department of the mountain," he said.
"Our greatest concern is if somebody does come up infected, it will spread like wildfire through the mountain.
"The Department of Health visited, and that was the feeling, that one person coming up with a positive test could lead to a significant shutdown."
Any swabs done at Falls Creek will be sent for testing in Melbourne with the regular Dorevitch Pathology courier for Alpine Health, who leaves at 3pm.
Dr Zagorski said their swabs could be marked as urgent, but there was always the tyranny of distance.
He said a guaranteed turnaround would be a better help than thermometers, which have not been received at his clinic after the state government announced on June 26 they were coming.
"We've received some gowns from the Murray Primary Health Network and maybe four face shields ... we've had to arrange most of our own PPE," he said.
"At the beginning of the pandemic, we did manage to approach one of the local seamstresses and she manufactured some reusable cloth masks for us.
"We have purchased the required impervious plastic gowns for those patients who we deem to be high risk of coronavirus, presenting in the Mount Beauty clinic and at Falls Creek.
"We feel at this stage we have adequate supply ... the only thing we are lacking at this stage is a really good supply of the N95 masks."
Bright Medical Centre received some surgical masks, P2 respirators, isolation gowns, examination gloves and protective goggles for its Mount Hotham clinic on June 23.
The supplies, facilitated by Murray PHN after the Australian government announced on June 25 ski field GPs would receive PPE, came after the clinic had already purchased face shields and gowns.
For both the Falls Creek and Mount Hotham clinics, each resort's ski patrol team will transport masked patients to a designated area at the clinic.
"Ski patrol will be assisting us by giving every patient a mask as they bring the to the clinic," Dr Zagorski said.
"We have a dedicated area for looking after these very sick patients.
"Alpine Health of course has been very helpful; they've sourced some funding through the Department of Health and Human Services and their nurses will be providing COVID testing on the mountain.
"Those people [who are tested] will need to self-isolate somewhere, even in their own accommodation if they have it, and I believe resort management will facilitate places for people to isolate.
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"Ideally, they should leave the mountain. Anyone with respiratory symptoms or a fever shouldn't be there."
Alpine Health put arrangements in place in the lead-up to the state government announcing the ski season could begin from June 22.
The testing clinics will not take walk-ins - people will be required to make an appointment - and guests and visitors will be able to remain on the mountain but must self-isolate until results are provided.
Resorts, which are operating at reduced capacity and with COVID-19-safe plans, will provide staff who need to self isolate with alternate suitable accommodation and support.
Some lifts are set to start turning on Monday.
