Get to a clinic, because your hay fever might be coronavirus

We can only stop the spread if we identify cases early, writes Mark Veitch

TASMANIA did its first test for coronavirus on January 31. Since then we have performed more than 120,000 tests.

We urge southern Tasmanians to help us keep these rates strong, because testing people who have coronavirus symptoms is a crucial part of our response to the pandemic.

As well as our usual testing services in the South, there will be a COVID mobile testing clinic at the Derwent Entertainment Centre in

Glenorchy. Drive-up testing will be available between 10am and 3pm today, tomorrow and Sunday. You don’t need to book, just show up.

Many symptoms of early and mild coronavirus are the same as those of colds and flu and could even be confused with hay fever. Testing helps us to work out if someone has coronavirus and, if they do, to quickly isolate them, and trace and quarantine their contacts who may also be infected. This reduces the spread of coronavirus in the community.

People across Tasmania have done a great job of taking symptoms seriously and getting tested. This has given us confidence that coronavirus has not been circulating.

This spring and summer about one in five Tasmanians will experience symptoms of hay fever, such as runny nose, itchy eyes and sneezing. Seasonal hay fever is due to an allergic reaction to pollen, not an infection.

But because the same symptoms can occur with coronavirus, we are asking any Tasmanian who has such symptoms to get tested, even if they suspect it is their normal hay fever. Some people who caught coronavirus in Tasmania this year first thought their symptoms were just hay fever. When your coronavirus test is negative, please see your GP about controlling hay fever symptoms and get a certificate so you can attend work or school. If your symptoms get worse, please go back to your doctor for review and possibly re-testing for coronavirus.

We understand some will find this advice frustrating because of their own long experience of hay fever, but it is very important we do not miss coronavirus cases.

Testing has been guided by expert national and local advice. Tasmania focuses its testing on people with symptoms. We will also test people who may be at increased risk because of where they have been or who they have been in contact with. Our system identifies states and territories and international destinations as low, medium or high risk.