Health professionals have called for daylight saving time to be scrapped because of its impact on safety and wellbeing. 

An Australian professor has warned that turning the clocks forward for half the year can lead to severe health risks that could be amplified during coronavirus. 

Professor of Diabetes at Monash University, Paul Zimmet, said daylight saving was a 'major scientific debate' with worrying health implications, 3AW reported. 

Australian health professionals have called for daylight saving time to be scrapped after warning that turning the clocks forward sees more heart attacks (file image pictured) reported

Professor of Diabetes at Monash University, Paul Zimmet, said more car and road accidents (car crash in Sydney pictured) occur after the switch to daylight saving time 

'In terms of the scientific evidence, which we will want to stick with at the moment, there are more heart attacks just after daylight saving,' Prof Zimmet said.

'More road accidents and then you've got workplace accidents, car accidents and their implications.'

He explained the shift in time also had an impact on bodily functions.   

'There is also cognitive dysfunction in relation to the daylight saving and the change in timing to our normal body rhythms,' Prof Zimmet said .    

He urged the Victorian Health Department to consider the strain that had already been put on the health system and the economy by the coronavirus pandemic. 

The professor suggested abolishing daylight saving time to avoid placing Australians in any further danger.     

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews brushed off the possibility of cancelling daylight saving after being asked about the proposal during his coronavirus briefing on Wednesday.  

The professor warned that daylight saving also prompted more workplace accidents (construction site in Sydney pictured) causing both economic and physical harm 

'I don't want to be disrespectful to the professor, who may be a very learned individual. No. Daylight saving will be proceeding,' Mr Andrews said. 

Melbourne eased its draconian coronavirus restrictions on Monday with outdoor exercise extended to two hours and the 8pm curfew extended to 9pm.        

'That's why the curfew changes, that extra hour is really important, well ahead of daylight saving,' Mr Andrews explained. 

'People will be able to go out and enjoy the city, enjoy the state, enjoy being back at work, enjoy a sense of confidence as they go into 2021.

'This will be a summer like no other and daylight saving, I can confirm, will be a feature of it,' he said. 

Victoria recorded 42 new coronavirus cases and eight deaths on Wednesday, taking the state toll to 737 and the national figure to 824. 

Residents in NSW, Victoria, the ACT, South Australia and Tasmania will turn their clocks forward an hour at 2am on October 4.   

The debate over daylight saving escalated last year when the European parliament voted to remove the measure from 2021 onwards.  

Countries in the EU will elect to stay on 'permanent summer' or 'permanent winter' time in March next year.  

Professor Zimmet (pictured) suggested abolishing daylight saving time during the coronavirus pandemic to avoid any further burdens on the healthcare system