Still no replacement for Victoria Park but here’s where you can get a Covid PCR test right now
The SA government still doesn’t know where PCR testing will take place in the CBD when Victoria Park is transformed for the Adelaide 500. Find out where to get vaccinated, or a PCR test.
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The state government is yet to find a location to undertake PCR testing in Adelaide's CBD when Victoria Park is cleared for the Adelaide 500.
The testing station is the largest in the state and will have to temporarily close for the race scheduled to take place in December.
When contacted by The Advertiser, SA Pathology provided a statement, saying: “We are currently looking into alternative options for the relocation of the Victoria Park Covid-19 testing site to ensure PCR testing continues to be available in the community in a central location”.
The statement said there was no anticipated disruption to those seeking a PCR test at the site, and the public will be updated of any changes as soon as they are finalised.
The need for testing remains as more contagious strains of Covid-19 emerge in South Australia and the state’s daily cases remain in the thousands.
Infection numbers are expected to jump in coming weeks after SA Health last week released a statement about two new Covid strains, BA. 4 and BA.5.
Epidemiologist from University of South Australia Adrian Esterman said the new Omicron sub-variants were 25 per cent easier to contract than the current strain.
The new mutations will take over as the dominant strain of the virus, Prof Esterman said, and may spark a surge in reinfections across the community and prompt more need for PCR tests.
“The thing about viruses, is what gives a new mutation an advantage is being more transmissible,” he said.
“In this particular case with BA. 4 … it can more easily evade our immunity.”
All PCR test stations in SA remain open, except the Repat testing clinic which closed on April 22.
Resources were bolstered at the nearby Bedford Park drive-in clinic in the recent closure.
The state government launched a new campaign on Sunday urging eligible South Australians to get a Covid booster shot.
The campaign includes television ads featuring people who had received two Covid jabs but still fell ill and ended up in hospital with the virus.
But as the call to arms increases for vaccinations, jab clinics will close gradually from as early as the end of this month, and one PCR clinic has closed at Daw Park.
Dedicated vaccination clinics will begin to close at pop up locations from the end of May, while Playford, Noarlunga and regional areas will close from June.
The Wayville vaccination hub at the showgrounds will close on July 31.
We’ve listed the drive-through PCR test stations still operating in the state, with a full list of walk-in sites available on the SA Health site.
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