The NSW Government is urging anyone experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 to be tested in a bid to curb the spread of the virus.
COVID-19 symptoms include:
- Fever;
- Cough;
- Tiredness (fatigue);
- Sore throat;
- Shortness of breath.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian today announced there is now capacity to double the number of COVID-19 tests from around 4,000 tests per day to 8,000.
“NSW has one of the highest testing rates in the world and we want to see this boosted even further,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“From today, anyone in NSW who has COVID-19 symptoms should come forward and get tested.”
“Testing is key to reducing community transmission and dealing with local breakouts – and this is critical if we are going to lift any restrictions.”
Health Minister Brad Hazzard said NSW will also work to support higher volumes of testing over the weekend as well as during the week, through both the public and private health systems.
“We have seen a drop in the number of tests on the weekend but that doesn’t need to be the case – we are testing every day of the week and want people to come forward on Saturday and Sundays,” Mr Hazzard said.
“The more people that get tested the quicker we can identify cases, track their contacts and prevent community outbreaks.”
NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant said from today all people with symptoms of COVID-19 should come forward for testing.
“People with symptoms, including mild symptoms, are encouraged to be tested to ensure we identify as many cases of COVID-19 in the community as quickly as possible,” Dr Chant said.
If you have COVID-19 symptoms please:
- Contact your GP;
- Call Healthdirect on 1800 022 222;
- Visit a NSW Health COVID-19 clinic.
The NSW Government is also urging all health care workers, aged care workers or workers in other high risk or residential care settings with symptoms to come forward immediately for testing, and to make sure their occupational status is noted so their test can be prioritised.
Similarly any people who live in a residential care setting, or have contact with health care, school or residential care settings with symptoms are particularly encouraged to come forward for testing, and to make their contact with these settings known.
The locations of COVID-19 clinics are available here:
https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/how-to-protect-yourself-and-others/clinics