End Melbourne's lockdown NOW: 500 doctors send a scathing open letter to Dan Andrews demanding he lifts restrictions because draconian measures are putting lives at risk

A group of 500 doctors have warned in an open letter that more people will be killed than saved if Victoria's lockdowns are not lifted.  

The letter urges State Premier Daniel Andrews to immediately rollback the harsh restrictions for the sake of residents and their mental wellbeing.  

'The response to the virus will cause more deaths and result in far more negative health effects than the virus itself,' the letter reads.

Mr Andrews announced on Sunday the State Of Emergency in Melbourne would be extended by another four weeks.

Plans to fully lift Stage Four restrictions on October 19 have also been pushed back with two new rules brought into affect from midnight on Sunday.

Residents who refuse a COVID-19 test will now have to spend 21 days instead of 11 days in isolation and regional Victorian businesses will not be allowed to seat Melbourne residents. 

The open letter warns the mounting number of restrictions has only placed more pressure on residents.

The letter urges State Premier Daniel Andrews to immediately rollback the harsh restrictions for the sake of residents and their mental wellbeing

Anaesthetist Dr Eamonn Mathieson told Sunrise on Monday there would be strong repercussions if lockdowns remained in place

It argues it has driven up figures of self harm and worsened mental health issues among struggling residents.

The letter also says chronically ill people are less likely to leave their homes for crucial tests at hospitals.

The doctors went on to list a number of demands in the letter.  

That included lifting the five-kilometre travel ban on residents, reopening sports clubs and allowing families to visit each other in their homes and aged care centres. 

Anaesthetist Dr Eamonn Mathieson told Sunrise on Monday there would be strong repercussions if lockdowns remained in place. 

'There has been massive collateral damage in the mental health space due to the lockdowns,' Dr Mathieson said.

'The way you do public health is not to focus or have a fixation on one condition to the exclusion of all others.'

The Australian Medical Association has distanced itself from the letter and argued the lifting of restrictions too soon could be catastrophic.  

'The absolute worst thing that could possibly happen would be another lockdown and it is important while this lockdown is working – which it clearly is – that it is followed through to achieve the road map the state government has set out,' AMA President Dr Omar Khorshid said.

Mr Andrews announced on Sunday the State Of Emergency in Melbourne would be extended by another four weeks (pictured, residents at St Kilda beach in Melbourne)

Residents who refuse a COVID-19 test will now have to spend 21 days instead of 11 days in isolation and regional Victorian businesses will not be allowed to seat Melbourne residents (pictured, police patrol the Queen Victoria Market in Melbourne)

Mr Andrews announced two new rules would come into effect from 11.59pm on Sunday.  

Close contacts who refuse a COVID-19 test in Victoria will spend 21 days in quarantine.

The state government announced mandatory quarantine would be extended 10 days for close contacts if they opt not to be tested on day 11 of isolation. 

Premier Daniel Andrews said a 'very, very high percentage' of people had submitted to testing but the rule was designed to provide authorities with an even more complete picture.

'This is just double checking, triple checking that you haven't, in fact, still got the virus,' he told reporters on Sunday.

Under another new rule from Sunday, regional Victorian businesses will have to take all reasonable steps to ensure patrons aren't from Melbourne before seating them.

Metropolitan Melbourne residents are only allowed to travel into regional Victoria for permitted reasons, but must abide by the city's rules while there.

Among the list of demands in the letter were lifting the five-kilometre travel ban on residents, reopening sports clubs and allowing families to visit each other in their homes and aged care centres (pictured, shoppers at the Queen Victoria Market in Melbourne)