ɪnðə lˈiːdˈʌp, vɪktˈoːɹiən ˌɛdʒuːkˈeɪʃən mˈɪnɪstɚ dʒˈeɪmz mɜːlˈiːnoʊ ɛŋkˈɜːɹɪdʒd stˈuːdənts ɪn hˈɑːtspɑːt ˈɛɹiəz tə ɹᵻsˈiːv kˈɑːvɪd tˈɛsts bᵻfˌoːɹ sˈɪɾɪŋ ðə dʒˌiːˌeɪtˈiː, ʌŋkˈʌvɚɹɪŋ θˈɜːɾi θɹˈiː kˈeɪsᵻz.
In the lead-up, Victorian Education Minister James Merlino encouraged students in hotspot areas to receive COVID tests before sitting the GAT, uncovering 33 cases.