Caught a croak? No pressure to get tested

As Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk comes under fire for attending events with a croaky voice prior to being tested for coronavirus, the state’s Chief Health Officer has issued this advice to other Queenslanders who may feel a croak coming on.

Queenslanders don’t have to get a COVID-19 test if they lose their voice, but they are encouraged to.

It comes after Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk came under fire for travelling around regional Queensland with a croaky voice.

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Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young said loss of voice was not a symptom.

“She (Premier) was ultra-cautious, and that is what I ask of every Queenslander,” she said.

“Although there was no need for her to do it she went and got herself tested.”

Queensland Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young with Deputy Premier Steven Miles during a press conference in Brisbane on Friday. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

Asked whether Queenslanders should get tested if they lose their voice, Dr Young said no.

“But I would encourage them to as the Premier did, that if you’ve got a symptom it’s a good idea to go and get tested rather than think through ‘Is it COVID, isn’t it COVID?’, just get yourself tested,” she said.

“What we don’t need though is perfectly well people to get tested.”

She said health authorities were still testing “perfectly well” people because some Queenslanders were unsure.

Ms Palaszczuk said her voice was good today.

“Now that I’ve actually had a COVID test, I can tell Queenslanders you barely know that it’s happening,” she said.

“It’s three or four seconds.”

The Premier said she didn’t have any symptoms, when asked about criticism from the LNP which claimed she should have sought a test sooner.

“I just lost my voice, it’s very, very clear,” she said.