TESTING TIMES
DRIVE-THROUGH FEVER CLINIC OPENS IN TOOWOOMBA TODAY BIG EVENTS CANCELLED AS CORONAVIRUS BAN BEGINS SCHOOLS REMAIN OPEN, SELF-ISOLATION FOR OVERSEAS ARRIVALS
A TRIAL to test people for coronavirus at drive-through fever clinics will expand to Toowoomba today, as Queensland Health continues to ramp up its response to the global pandemic.
Health Minister Steven Miles said the drive-through testing facility at Baille Henderson Hospital would help alleviate some of the workload of general practitioners and hospital emergency departments amid an expected surge of COVID-19 patients.
Toowoomba’s drivethrough will open in the car park at the northern side of Baillie Henderson Hospital on Monday. It will be operational between 10am and 6pm seven days a week.
“People will be asked to remain in their vehicle, and then clinical staff wearing personal protective equipment will test temperature, oxygen saturation, pulse and respiration through the car window,” Mr Miles said.
“If people meet the testing criteria, swabs will then be taken and the swabs sent for testing for COVID-19.
“These … drive-through clinics will operate as a trial to test their effectiveness and determine if they would work at other hospital and health service locations to cater for increased demand.”
A clinic was opened at Caloundra Health Service’s
Minor Injury and Illness Clinic over the weekend.
The clinics have already been trialled in South Australia.
The new measure comes as the number of positive cases for COVID-19 reaches 46.
A Woolworths employee in Kingaroy tested positive for the virus late last week.
An organisation spokesperson did not provide details as to where the staff member had been, but said the risk of transmission to customers and other staff members was “low”.
“We’re contacting our store team members and will provide all appropriate support and guidance to them in line with the advice from the health authorities,” they said.
“Customers and team members should be assured they can continue to shop and work at our Kingaroy supermarket with confidence.
“Any customers shopping in our stores over the past week who become unwell in the next two weeks should contact the Department of Health.”
Queensland Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young said the criteria for testing for COVID-19 was people who fell ill within 14 days of returning overseas or those who had been in close contact with a confirmed case.
Dr Young said testing was only possible if people were experiencing symptoms, such as a fever, cough and shortness of breath.
For more information: 13 HEALTH.