Massive lines of cars and people are stretched around the block at testing clinics across the Illawarra on Wednesday morning as they heed the call from NSW Health to get tested.
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Visitors to Wollongong Central, two Wollongong churches and stores in Figtree Grove who may have been exposed to the city's newest COVID case on December 23 were urged to immediately get tested and self-isolate until they received a negative result.
A Figtree resident said they had been stuck in the queue on the Princes Hwy for the Figtree pop-up clinic since 7.30am.
The clinic does not open until 10am today, although it will operate from 8am to 8pm from Thursday until further notice.
"I've been in the queue for over an hour and the line of cars stretches from the Figtree community hall up past Hungry Jacks, towards TIGS," he said.
"It's traffic chaos to be honest. It would have been better to have a pop-up clinic somewhere off the main highway, with less traffic lights, and not in such a built-up area."
A list of testing sites:
The Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District has extended its COVID-19 Assessment Clinic opening hours and is working closely with Southern IML Pathology to meet increased demand for testing.
The District is establishing a pop-up testing clinic in Figtree, which will open from 10am tomorrow. Details are as follows:
Figtree pop-up drive-through COVID-19 Assessment clinic
Figtree Community Hall, 11 Princes Highway, Figtree
Open from 10am on Wednesday, December 30. Opening hours will then be 8am to 8pm daily until further notice.
The community can get tested at the following locations in and around Wollongong which have extended opening hours from today:
Wollongong Hospital COVID-19 Assessment Clinic
Lawson House, Wollongong Hospital - Loftus St, Wollongong
Extended opening hours: 8am to 8pm daily until further notice.
Shellharbour COVID-19 Assessment Clinic
5/8 Memorial Drive, Shellharbour City Centre (note new location)
Extended opening hours: 8am to 6pm daily until further notice.
Wollongong Southern IML Pathology drive-through testing clinic
37 Denison Street Wollongong
Extended opening hours: 8am to 8pm daily until further notice
Bookings essential by phoning: 4224 7474
Shellharbour Southern IML Pathology drive-through testing clinic
109A Shellharbour Rd, Warilla (entry off Beverley Ave)
Extended opening hours: 8am to 7pm daily until further notice.
More testing clinics:
- Wollongong 4Cyte Pathology Drive-through Clinic, 406 Crown Street, Wollongong. Operating 24 hours on Wednesday and no appointments necessary.
- Warilla Southern IML Pathology Drive-through Clinic, 109 Shellharbour Road, Warilla. Bookings.
- Barrack Heights Laverty Pathology Drive-through Clinic, 9-25 Captain Cook Drive, Barrack Heights, 0413 246 488
- Shellharbour City Centre, 5/8 Memorial Drive, Shellharbour City Centre, 1300 221 539
- Helensburgh Respiratory Clinic, 129 Parkes Street, 2508, Helensburgh, Bookings.
To find your nearest clinic visit, visit https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/how-to-protect-yourself-and-others/clinics or contact your GP.
NSW Health today notified the community of a number of venues in Wollongong and Figtree that have been visited by a confirmed case of COVID-19. For details visit the NSW Health website: https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/news/Pages/20201229_01.aspx or Facebook page.
NSW Health urges anyone in NSW with even the mildest symptoms, such as headache, fatigue, cough, sore throat or runny nose, to come forward immediately for testing, then isolate until they receive a negative result.
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