When you should queue to get a COVID test

Visited one of the alert hot spots around Adelaide? Not sure if you need a COVID test? We need to cut down these giant queues – here’s who really should line up.

As car queues at COVID-19 testing stations snake for kilometres and people face waiting times dragging into many hours, SA Health officials are appealing for the “worried well” to stay home and not clog the system.

With temperatures forecast to hit 34C today and 36C tomorrow, SA chief public health officer Professor Nicola Spurrier said people with even mild symptoms should get tested but those who are well and just want a test as reassurance risk slowing turnaround times for others.

“What we do want is people with symptoms to get tested,” Prof Spurrier said, noting symptoms can be mild and may include:

SCRATCHY sore throat

RUNNY nose

HIGH temperature – though not in all cases

FEELING tired

POSSIBLE headache

OCCASIONALLY diarrhoea

POSSIBLE loss of taste and/or smell.

“If we have a lot of the ‘worried well’ come out to get tested it means our turnaround time might blow out,” Prof Spurrier said.

There is no way to jump ahead in the queue if you have been told to get a test.

SA Health fills out testing forms in such a way that testing agencies) SA Pathology, ACL and Clinpath prioritise people with symptoms.

Not everyone being asked to immediately quarantine as a result of the cluster is also being asked to be tested – in some cases it hinges on developing symptoms.

SA Health says it doesn’t want people to get tested if they don’t have symptoms, and have no links - or haven’t been advised to get a test, because it adds to the huge line ups.

SA Health has listed dozens of locations linked to the Parafield cluster; click on the map to see each location, and time/date for the alert. Blue locations mean those who visited during the alert time should closely monitor yourself and get tested and self-isolate if you experience even the mildest of symptoms such as a cough, scratchy throat, runny nose or fatigue. Red means you are now required to isolate for 14 days and get tested immediately.

SA Health’s current advice is as follows:

QUARANTINE IMMEDIATELY, INCLUDING PEOPLE WHO LIVE WITH YOU, AND GET A TEST

• Woodville Pizza Bar, 58 Woodville Road, Woodville on 6 – 16 November. (This includes anyone who received a delivery form the pizza bar and delivery driver)

• Thomas More College, Salisbury Downs – 12 or 13 November

• Roma Mitchell Secondary College, Gepps Cross – 12 or 13 November

• Mawson Lakes School and Preschool – 13 November

• Peppers Waymouth Hotel Adelaide, 55 Waymouth St - any time between 31 October until 15 November

• Elizabeth Aquadome - between 11am – 1.30pm on 14 November

People who visited across this period must go directly to a testing location, wear a mask and alert the staff - as well as anyone in their households.

QUARANTINE AND SEEK TESTING

SA Health is contacting everyone who was in these locations:

• Mawson Lakes School and Preschool – 11, 12 November

• Lyell McEwin Hospital Emergency Department – 5.30pm 13 November to 8.00am 14 November

People who live with you don’t need to self-quarantine and get tested only if your house is appropriately set up so you don’t have contact with them - unless requested by SA Health or SA Police.

QUARANTINE

Anyone who has attended the below locations on the listed dates/times must self-quarantine immediately for 14 days. You need to seek testing only if you develop symptoms:

• Holy Family Catholic School, Parafield Gardens – 13 November

• Goodstart Early Learning Child Care Centre, Parafield Gardens – 13 November

MONITOR YOUR SYMPTOMS IF YOU VISITED THE LOCATIONS BELOW

If you visited any of the below locations during the listed times, you do not need to self-quarantine but you should monitor for symptoms and get tested immediately if symptoms appear.

ADELAIDE

BENSONS RADIOLOGY, 3/18 NORTH TERRACE

Friday 13 November 8.30am – 8.45am

BUS 502 FROM INTERNODE ADELAIDE BUS STOP ON GRENFELL STREET

Friday 13 November 4.01pm – 5.30pm

Friday 13 November 9.00am – 9.30am

Thursday 12 November 4.19pm – 5.30pm

Monday 9 November 10.14am – 11.05am

BUS (GA1/GA2/GA3) FROM BUS STOP NEAR TRAIN STATION

Wednesday 11 November 3.40pm – 4.38pm

Tuesday 10 November 5.20pm – 6.30pm

Saturday 7 November 4.15pm – 6.30pm

MANTRA ON FROME

Friday 13 November 7.40am – 3.45pm

Thursday 12 November 7.30am – 4.00pm

IT’S CONVENIENT, 63 WAYMOUTH STREET

Saturday 14 November 6.00pm – 6.15pm

EASTWOOD

ADELAIDE EYE AND LASER CENTRE, 215 GREENHILL ROAD

Friday 13 November 10.00am – 12.00pm

EDINBURGH

SA STRUCTURAL, 54 KAURNA AVENUE

Thursday 12 November 7.00am – 3.30pm

ELIZABETH

BIG W, ELIZABETH SHOPPING CENTRE

Saturday 14 November 10.00am – 11.00am

ELIZABETH SHOPPING CENTRE

Wednesday 11 November 10.00am — 10.45am

Sunday 8 November 11.00am – 12.30pm

HARRIS SCARFE, ELIZABETH SHOPPING CENTRE

Sunday 8 November 11.00am – 12.30pm

ENFIELD

EKAM INDIAN GROCERIES, ENFIELD PLAZA

Friday 13 November 1.30pm – 4.30pm

FINDON

WOOLWORTHS, FINDON ROAD

Saturday 14 November 8.30pm – 8.35pm

FULHAM GARDENS

FULHAM GARDENS COMMUNITY CENTRE – FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS FUNCTION

Sunday 8 November

GEPPS CROSS

SPOTLIGHT, 750 MAIN NORTH ROAD

Thursday 12 November 6.30pm – 7.00pm

STRATCO, 59 PORT WAKEFIELD ROAD

Saturday 14 November 12.45pm – 1.25pm

GLENGOWRIE

MORPHETT ARMS HOTEL, 138 MORPHETT ROAD

Friday 13 November 5.00pm – 10.00pm

HENDON

PRIME LIQUIDATORS, 6 PHILIP CRESCENT

Saturday 14 November 12.00pm – 12.30pm

INGLE FARM

COLES SOUTH, INGLE FARM SHOPPING CENTRE

Thursday 12 November 11.00am – 11.30am

KURRALTA PARK

COLES, 153-164 ANZAC HIGHWAY

Friday 13 November 8.30pm – 8.50pm

MAWSON LAKES

FOODLAND, 6/12 CAPITAL STREET

Saturday 14 November 1.30pm – 2.00pm

MINT LEAF LOUNGE, 6/121-131 MAWSON LAKES BOULEVARD

Thursday 12 November 5.30pm – 6.30pm

PARA HILLS

502X BUS – STOP 39 ON BRIDGE ROAD TO STOP S1 ON GRENFELL STREET

Friday 13 November 7.45am – 8.15am

PARAFIELD GARDENS

MARTINS ROAD FAMILY MEDICAL PRACTICE (PODIATRIST)

Monday 9 November 2.00pm – 3.00pm

PARAFIELD PLAZA SUPERMARKET

Thursday 12 November 10.30am – 11.30am

POORAKA

ON THE RUN POORAKA, OTR 126 BRIDGE ROAD

Thursday 12 November 11.35am – 11.40am

PORT ADELAIDE

FUNK COFFEE, T15/200-220 COMMERCIAL RD

Saturday 14 November 5.00pm – 5.15pm

HUNGRY JACKS, 321 COMMERCIAL ROAD

Friday 13 November 7.30pm to Saturday 14 2.30am

ROSEWATER

UNITED PETROL STATION, 128 GRAND JUNCTION ROAD

Friday 13 November approximately 3pm

FOODLAND, 144 GRAND JUNCTION ROAD

Thursday 12 November 7.45pm (approximately 5 minutes)

SALISBURY

BUS 405 FROM SALISBURY BUS INTERCHANGE

Monday 9 November 11.06am – 12.00pm

BUS 411 FROM SALISBURY BUS INTERCHANGE

Wednesday 11 November 4.30pm – 5.30pm

BUS 500 FROM SALISBURY BUS INTERCHANGE

Friday 13 November 6.40am – 7.40am

Thursday 12 November 6.38am – 7.40am

Wednesday 11 November 6.38am – 7.30am

Tuesday 10 November 6.30am – 7.40am

Monday 9 November 6.39am – 7.40am

NAMASTE SUPERMARKET, PARABANKS SHOPPING CENTRE

Saturday 14 November 1.30pm – 2.00pm

SALISBURY BUS INTERCHANGE

Monday 9 November 11.30am – 12.00pm

Saturday 7 November 6.30pm

SALISBURY CITY FRUIT BOWL

Friday 13 November 10.00am – 10.15am

SALISBURY DOWNS

HOLLYWOOD PLAZA SURGERY

Saturday 14 November 10.00am – 11.00am

Friday 13 November 7.15am – 7.20am

HOLLYWOOD FRESH FRUIT SHOP, HOLLYWOOD PLAZA

Saturday 14 November 10.00am – 11.00am

MCDONALD’S HOLLYWOOD PLAZA

Friday 13 November 10.00am – 11.00am

STAR DISCOUNT CHEMIST, HOLLYWOOD PLAZA SURGERY

Saturday 14 November 10.00am – 11.00am

Tuesday 10 November 7.30pm – 7.45pm

TARGET HOLLYWOOD PLAZA

Thursday 12 November 12.00pm – 1.30pm

WOOLWORTHS, HOLLYWOOD PLAZA

Saturday 14 November 10.00am – 11.00am

Friday 13 November 10.00am – 12.00pm

Thursday 12 November 12.00pm – 1.30pm

SOUTH PLYMPTON

JAI SHIV FRUIT & VEG SHOP, 3/489 MARION ROAD

Saturday 14 November 8.00pm – 8.05pm

SOMERTON PARK

EBLEN COLLISION REPAIR, 240 BRIGHTON ROAD

Thursday 12 November 8.00am – 4.30pm

Friday 13 November 8.00am – 4.30pm

ST CLAIR

COLES, CHELTENHAM PARADE

Friday 13 November 4.00pm – 4.20pm

WESTLAKES

WESTLAKES SHOPPING CENTRE (K-MART, SAN CHURRIS, NK FASHION, COLES)

Sunday 15 November 1.45pm – 3.45pm