SA Health to ‘explore all options’ on new central Covid testing station to replace Victoria Park
No plans have been made for a new central testing station site when Victoria Park is forced to close for the return of Adelaide 500. Take our poll: Where should it be moved to?
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No plans have been made for an alternative Covid testing station despite the state’s biggest central testing site being forced to close to make way for return of the Adelaide 500.
It comes long queues were reported at Victoria Park overnight, including up to three hours’ wait on Sunday evening.
On a Facebook page discussing Covid testing station wait times, a woman wrote she pulled out of the line at 9.30pm Sunday.
“We hadn't even got onto the main strip that the tent is on and were told it was a three-hour wait from that point,” she said.
The Sunday Mail revealed the new Premier Peter Malinauskas had taken his first major step in fulfilling his pledge to bring the Adelaide 500 roaring back to life, by appointing the event’s former chief Andrew Daniels to steer the race.
Victoria Park testing station will close to make way for the race.
Health Minister Chris Picton said SA Health was working with the Adelaide Council to seek an alternative central testing station site.
“It’s obviously been the focus point in terms of our testing over the past few years, Victoria Park, but we’re very excited about the opportunity to have the car race back there,” Mr Picton told ABC Radio Adelaide on Monday.
“We’ll make sure that we’re doing the work in terms of finding another site, putting additional capacity on other sites across the system to make sure that we’re keeping that testing capacity up.
“There isn’t a plan sitting there … on the alternatives for Victoria Park which I guess did surprise me in a way but we’re now doing that work and analysing every other possible site across the central area of our city.”
Adelaide Councillor Phillip Martin lodged a notion within the council last week urging the Premier and local member Lucy Hood meet with them as soon as possible.
He said no discussions on an alternate location for the major Covid testing station had been offered yet but he suggested locations such as the southern parklands and Bonython Park.
“I just had a passing thought that the station that’s currently used to distribute RAT kits might be a possibility but it doesn't have anywhere near the capacity of Victoria Park,” he said.
A statement from SA Pathology said plans were underway to find an alternative testing site in a central location.
“The date for the relocation has yet to be determined, however we will update the public of any changes as soon as this is finalised,” the statement said.
Mr Daniels said the testing station could likely remain functional for months.
“I do know that we’ve probably got a good six months before we need to get in to that area in relation to the Adelaide 500,” Mr Daniels told The Advertiser.
He said all options for an international headline act were being explored.
“It’s a complex area dealing on an international basis with these sorts of acts, so we’re dealing on many fronts but I don't have anything really concrete to say on that,” he said.
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