ACT’s COVID-19 testing sites closed to travel tests amid surging demand and staff shortages

Well being authorities are turning away Canberrans searching for a COVID-19 check in any case websites had been overwhelmed by demand early this morning.

The ACT authorities had earlier tried to restrict the variety of folks arriving on the clinics to acquire a „journey check“ consequence, which is required to enter Queensland, Tasmania or the Northern Territory.

Late final night time, ACT well being mentioned its two primary testing websites — at Garran and Mitchell — could be closed to non-essential checks between 11am and 3pm at this time, to prioritise sufferers who had been extra more likely to have coronavirus.

Solely shut contacts of constructive instances, folks with COVID-19 signs and returned worldwide travellers had been to be allowed into the websites throughout that point.

Nonetheless, all three open websites in Canberra, together with the Kambah drive-through clinic, had closed by 9:30am as a result of they’d reached capability.

The ACT’s fourth testing web site, at Nicholls, is shut down over the summer season break.

The ACT recorded 189 new instances of COVID-19 at this time, the territory’s highest every day tally of the pandemic.

There are actually 688 folks contaminated with the illness in Canberra, although just one is in hospital.

‚You will simply get in the best way of public well being‘

Well being Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith mentioned all obtainable employees had been rostered on to assist check Canberrans at this time and tomorrow.

She mentioned the curb on journey checks was an experiment to attempt to minimize queues and pace up turnaround occasions for outcomes.

„I actually would encourage people who find themselves getting examined for journey to, you already know, please do not attempt to get examined at Garran and Mitchell throughout that point, between 11am and 3pm,“ she mentioned this morning.

In a press release, ACT Well being acknowledged that the difficulties in accessing a check had been irritating, however requested Canberrans to be variety to its employees.

„They’re working over the general public holidays to assist the group and giving up time with their very own households and mates,“ it mentioned.

New South Wales well being authorities have additionally requested that Canberrans keep away from searching for a COVID-19 check throughout the border in Queanbyean, as their capability is proscribed as a result of public holidays.

Queensland ‚treating ACT as a joke‘

In the meantime, the top of Canberra Airport has written to Queensland Chief Well being Officer John Gerrard and the Prime Minister’s workplace, demanding an finish to the requirement for adverse check outcomes to cross state border.

Stephen Byron, the airport’s managing director, mentioned the requirement had „destroyed the ACT testing and containment technique“.

„Testing is overwhelmed. Shut contacts with signs are unable to be examined,“ he wrote.

Mr Byron mentioned the truth that Queensland now had far more coronavirus cases than Canberra confirmed the coverage was absurd.

„It is a joke treating the ACT like a spot the place we have to get examined to maintain COVID-19 out of Queensland,“ he mentioned.

He urged the state authorities to depend on fast antigen checks (RATs) as an alternative of the laboratory-based PCR checks, that are presently required.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszcsuk mentioned her authorities would resolve whether or not to change to RATs throughout the subsequent two days.