Essential services in Ballarat will continue through the Omicron wave to help the most vulnerable, including Meals on Wheels.
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The service will move its operations from its current home at the Eureka Centre to the Ballarat Regional Soccer Facility for the next few months, council confirmed, to "ensure continuity".
This will operate alongside the main site on Mair Street.
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More than 1200 meals are prepared and delivered each week, council stated in a media release, and contractors have begun planning ahead for any disruptions.
City of Ballarat chief executive Evan King said in a statement the additional site allows Meals on Wheels, a critical service, to operate two separate workforce bubbles.
In the event one facility is identified as a COVID site, meal deliveries can continue from the other site without disruption to meal provision.
The service is also establishing a back-up freezer stocked with two days' worth of supply meals at a third location, to ensure there is no disruption to meal provision if both sites are compromised with COVID at the same time.
Two days' supply of meals for residents will provide enough time for both sites to be cleaned and to return to operations.
In the event of a shortage of food products, the contractor has a continuity plan to access a range of alternative food products that will meet residents' dietary requirements.
"We are preparing as best we can in the event any of our work bubbles burst," Mr King said.
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"The Meals on Wheels team is very nimble, with a single focus to care for the safety of our residents."
Several other council services have been affected by the pandemic - the animal shelter is closed to the public until further notice; the Ageing Well team has moved to complete shopping for residents instead of shopping with them; and some pools have been closed due to staffing shortages.
However, the Transfer Station and many public buildings, including libraries, remain open.
More information is available through the council website.
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