Long line at drive-in test
michael.nolan@thechronicle.com.au
HUNDREDS of Toowoomba residents attended the drive-through coronavirus clinic during its first day in operation yesterday.
On patient reported waiting about 30 minutes in a long line of cars for a test.
The clinic in the Baillie Henderson Hospital car park is one of two in Queensland.
People with flu-like symptoms and who have either travelled to countries where coronavirus is epidemic or have been in close contact with a known virus carrier, are encouraged to visit it.
When they arrive, patients must phone the test station.
If they meet the criteria, they proceed to the test area where staff will gauge their temperature, oxygen saturation, pulse and respiration.
Staff will take a swab of the patient’s throat and nose to be sent for further tests.
The clinic opened as coronavirus infections in Queensland increased to 68.
As The Chronicle went to print, there were no cases of COVID-19 in Toowoomba.
The Federal Government announced all gatherings of more than 500 people should be cancelled.
These include all Anzac
Day services.
“Our older veterans are particularly at risk from this virus, so we believe this is the responsible thing to do to ensure their health and wellbeing,” RSL Queensland president Tony Ferris said.
Meanwhile, an impassioned plea for good hygiene and self-isolation from the Toowoomba Hospital director of critical care Dr Adam Visser has gone viral.
His poem, posted on social media, was shared more than 76,000 times.
In it, Dr Visser said his unit only had enough staff and critical support beds for 25 patients.
If half of the city population contracted COVID-19, then about five per cent would experience severe symptoms and require intensive care hospitalisation.
“That’s 3750 people for 25 beds,” he said.
This was why it was critical Toowoomba residents heeded health warnings, selfisolate if they were sick, reported any contact with people carrying novel coronavirus and washed your hands regularly, he said.