More than 100,000 COVID-19 tests have been conducted in the West Moreton region so far in 2020.
West Moreton Health Chief Operating Officer Matthew Tallis said the milestone passed last week was only accomplished due to the strong partnership between the region’s healthcare providers.
“The strong test numbers are also a good demonstration of the public’s desire to keep West Moreton free of COVID,” Mr Tallis said.
More than one in four West Moreton residents have been tested since 1 January 2020 – some of them several times.
The last person to test positive in West Moreton was on 15 September.
Mr Tallis said the demand for testing had increased last week due to people returning from South Australia where there has been an outbreak.
“The outbreak in some parts of South Australia is a reminder that we must remain vigilant and continue to practise good hygiene and social distancing,” Mr Tallis said.
Anyone experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms, no matter how mild, should stay home and be tested.
The symptoms include a fever, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, runny nose, fatigue, loss of taste or smell, vomiting or diarrhoea.
The 100,000 tests were conducted at West Moreton Health clinics, the region’s three Darling Downs West Moreton PHN clinics (at Health Matters Karalee, Flinders Peak Medical Centre and Kambu Booval), temporary clinics run by Mater Private Hospital Springfield and the Queensland Ambulance Service, and the region’s general practitioners and private pathology laboratories.
“Of course, the full list of people we have to thank is much broader than that,” Mr Tallis said.
“So much work and generosity by so many community leaders have contributed to our COVID response, including Orion Springfield Central shopping centre and the Salvation Army at Bundamba who allowed us to set up surveillance testing clinics for the general public on their premises.”
For a full list of COVID clinics in West Moreton, visit www.westmoreton.health.qld.gov.au/coronavirus.
Queensland will reopen to Greater Sydney and Victoria at 1am on 1 December in an easing of COVID border restrictions.
Visitors from New South Wales and Victoria will no longer be required to quarantine for 14 days when they arrive in Queensland.
More information about Queensland’s borders is available at: https://bit.ly/2UYl2C1