A worker at a COVID-19 testing site in Melbourne’s west has been injured after a man allegedly drove over her foot.
The traffic worker was at a testing site on Barries Road in Melton about 8.45am when her foot was runover by a vehicle waiting in the queue, according to Victoria Police.
The 37-year-old woman told police a driver in a blue Hyandai SUV ran over her foot then fled the scene.
She suffered injuries to her ankle and was taken to hospital by ambulance.
Police have spoken to a 60-year-old Harkness man over the incident, but they are still investigating what occurred.
The traffic controller’s employer, West Traffic, has said the worker is still in hospital more than seven hours after the incident.
A West Traffic spokesperson said the incident was one of several that staff at COVID-19 testing sites had reported “where negative and anti-social or harassing behaviour” had been directed towards them.
“No one deserves to be harassed or injured at work and these incidents by a small percentage of people entering these sites are simply unacceptable,” the spokesperson said.
“We work with the guidance of medical staff as to their current testing capacity and make the appropriate safety measures for everyone entering our sites.”
Western Health Chief Executive Russell Harrison said the organisation was shocked at “what is alleged to have been a deliberate act”.
“I want to make it clear that no level of violence or aggression towards our staff and contractors will be tolerated,” he said.
He said Western Health had closed the testing site due to the incident after staff had processed everyone who had already been in the queue at the time of the incident.
Mr Harrison said many staff on scene had been upset by the incident.
Source: 9News
