Anyone with COVID-19 symptoms is encouraged to get tested now.
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The NSW Government announced on Monday it wants to double the number of coronavirus tests to 8,000 a day.
Kiama MP Gareth Ward said anyone with symptoms such as fever, cough, tiredness, fatigue, a sore throat and or shortness of breath should immediately get tested. In the Illawarra testing is available at Shoalhaven Hospital, Shellharbour Hospital and Wollongong Hospital.
Mr Ward said NSW already had one of the highest testing rates in the world and that was good because it was crucial in reducing community transmission of COVID-19 and managing local clusters. He said increased testing was also an important step towards lifting restrictions.
"Testing is available seven days a week," Mr Ward said.
Health Minister Brad Hazzard said NSW is working towards higher volumes of testing seven days a week through both the public and private health systems.
"The more people that get tested the quicker we can identify cases, track their contacts and prevent community outbreaks," he said.
Testing is available at Shoalhaven Hospital, Shellharbour Hospital and Wollongong Hospital.
Anyone with COVID-19 symptoms can also contact their GP; call Healthdirect on 1800 022 222, or visit a NSW Health COVID-19 clinic.
The NSW Government is particularly 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.
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.
Read more:
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- Illawarra businesses fight hard to survive COVID-19 as confidence falls dramatically
- Illawarra Business Chamber launches new video series with helpful advice on how to survive COVID-19
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