Hi everyone,
I am pleased to advise that tomorrow we will be opening a new COVID-19 Testing Clinic at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital (TQEH). The clinic will operate as a walk-in clinic, 7 days a week from 9.00am until 6.00pm.
While South Australia does not currently have any active COVID-19 cases this clinic will make it easier for the western suburbs community to access a test.
Testing is an important public health strategy as early detection of new COVID-19 cases will allow us to move quickly to limit the spread of the disease, and inform and support our official health response.
Located outside of the new multi-deck car park, the clinic will run as a walk-in clinic like the one at the RAH and those presenting for testing will not need an appointment or a referral from a GP.
The clinic can be accessed via Woodville Road (Gate 5) and attendees will not need to enter the hospital to get tested.
We have arranged for digital display signage to be onsite from later today to help direct people to the clinic. Further directional signage is currently in production and will be displayed as soon as possible.
PPE update
Unfortunately I can't provide you with our latest statistics around our PPE as our dashboard is currently offline. The dashboard should be up and running shortly but in the meantime I have been told we have good level of PPE stock available and the numbers are close to those reported in my message last week.
Current situation
Like you all I was pleased to hear that again there are no new cases in South Australia.
Victoria has recorded another decrease in cases with 42 new cases and no deaths – the first time this has happened since July. These are all good indications that the situation in Victoria is being brought under control. New South Wales has reported seven new cases today.
Police Commissioner Grant Stevens has announced that effective from midnight tonight, ACT residents will be able to enter SA without having to self-isolate for 14 days on arrival. New South Wales remains closed for now but there is hope that we will see the border reopen soon.
Over the weekend the RAH Clinic tested 96 people – I will include the figures from our new TQEH COVID-19 Clinic in my message on Friday!
As I continue to remind everyone, it is very important that we remember to maintain physical distancing to ensure that we keep our patients, visitors and staff safe, and if you’re sick – stay home (and get tested!). Remember that if you do go for a COVID-19 test that you need to complete a self-reporting form and self-quarantine until you receive your results back.
And as I always say...‘If not us...then who’.
Lesley Dwyer
Chief Executive Officer
Central Adelaide Local Health Network