Urgent call for returned Victorian travellers to test immediately
Queenslanders trying to do the right thing after travelling interstate have faced six-hour waits and kilometres-long traffic jams as they tried to get tested for COVID-19. SEE THE FEW CLINICS THAT ARE OPEN
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People in line to get tested for Covid-19 outside Brisbane hospitals have reported six-hour wait times, as returned Queenslanders and interstate travellers are being told to get tested immediately.
Lines stretched more than 200m around the RBWH hospital when the testing clinic opened at 7:30am Sunday, after hundreds were turned away Saturday night.
And by 7.30pm Sunday there were reports from those at the front of the queue at the Prince Charles Hospital in Chermside they’d been waiting six hours.
SCROLL DOWN TO SEE WHERE TO GET TESTED TODAY WITHOUT A GP REFERRAL
It appears Queensland Health on Sunday also changed several fever clinics which were previously “GP referral only” to “no GP referral necessary”, including Ferny Hills, Everton Park and Everton Hills.
The Prince Charles Hospital will also reportedly be running their fever clinic 24 hours to get through the backlog.
A couple who arrived at RBWH at 7.30am told The Courier-Mail they completed their testing about 12.25pm.
It comes as people who lined up for as long as two hours at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital on Saturday night were left furious after being turned away when the COVID-19 testing facility shut at 9pm.
The returned Queenslanders and interstate travellers who came out to “do the right thing” were left disappointed after they were advised by Chief Health Officer Dr Jeanette Young to get tested “immediately” and isolate if they had been in Melbourne since December 21.
As the only testing facility open last night, the RBWH was swamped in the hours following the announcement.
Queensland recorded no new COVID-19 cases overnight, leaving 13 active cases in the state.
Queenslanders queuing on Sunday morning expressed their frustration the announcement was not matched with an increase in pop-up testing clinics.
Justin Van Den Haspel was turned away at the RBWH last night after waiting in line for an hour.
He arrived this morning at 6:30am and was expecting to be at the front of the line about 8am.
“I think if they want people to get tested, they’ve got to make it a little bit easier,” he said.
“The announcement should have come with an announcement for more pop-up centres, that would have been handy.
“I don’t think people are going to put up with this, and unfortunately people who should get screened won’t get screened.”
Toowong local Paulette, who requested her last name not be published, said she was expecting to be in line for up to four hours and brought a camping chair with her.
“It’s totally frustrating,” she said.
“Just absolutely disgraceful that they put these public health warnings without opening up all the offices... like Sullivan Nicolaides.
“It’s just ridiculous to have us all line up in this hot sun, there’s a lot of elderly people, all waiting for hours on end.”
Hundreds of cars are queuing in multiple directions around the Bowen Hills drive-in testing clinic.
Traffic was back up, with stationary vehicles to Gasworks along Montipelier Rd ahead of the clinic’s 11am opening.
Traffic was the same along Markwell St.
Two Queenslanders parked towards the end of the line on Montipelier Rd said they were prepared to wait up to an hour in line before returning home and attempting to get tested again tomorrow.
Joel Bates, 35, of New Farm joined the car queue in Bowen Hills about 9:30am and neared the front about 11:30am.
“We were in line at the RBWH and we had a Sullivan Nicolaides guy come up and say this was opening... because the line there was just so long,” he said.
“We went back to Victoria to see my family for Christmas.
“I think it’s a good move to crack down on it now, to try and get on top of it here in Queensland.”
Mr Bates said the wait times were understandable considering how “out of the blue” the testing announcement was.
Lily Griffiths was expecting about a three-hour total wait time to get tested, having arrived at RBWH about 7am.
She said while more testing clinics would be helpful, it was admirable people were braving the heat and long lines to follow the health advice.
“I think it’s actually incredible so many people are here,” Ms Griffiths said.
“I would prefer a two hour wait than no wait at all.”
On Saturday evening, The Courier Mail heard a RBWH employee tell people in the queue that the hospital was unaware that an announcement was going to be made about testing by the CHO.
Those tested must self-isolate at home or in accommodation and can only leave once they have returned a negative result.
Any Queenslanders currently in Victoria and are planning to come home in the coming days will also have to be tested and isolate.
Melbourne Couple Tara Fox and Jeremy Hughes who had been visiting family in Queensland had been left disappointed after being turned away from the facility.
“I think it’s pretty sh---y, I think they could have done something because we were trying to do the right thing,” Ms Fox said.
“Surely they can pull something together, pull some people in to tackle it. We were asked to come out.”
Newstead couple Lucy Cole and Mitchell Peterken changed their plans to return from seeing Mr Peterken’s family who they hadn’t seen since March.
“We got back this morning, we changed flights to get home a bit earlier,” Mr Peterken said.
The couple had to pay an $180 difference on their Flexi flights to return earlier than anticipated.
Aruna Nanayakkara said he would be returning in the morning after a “disappointing” two hour wait.
“It’s disappointing, some of the other hospitals probably could have stayed open for a little longer.”
“Given that I’m in the Redlands area having to come to the Royal Brisbane, it’s never going to work for everyone.”
One man, who asked not to be named said he was “annoyed” the announcement wasn’t made earlier after he returned from Victoria on the 28th.
“I wish it was announced earlier, there has been community transmission since the 21st and they wait until the 2nd to announce.
“We’ve just had New Year’s Eve on the 31st and how many people in this line have congregated with people on New Year’s Eve.
“They’re trying to be overly cautious but it doesn’t make sense.”
Another man who had come out to get tested was walking along the line that spanned hundreds of metres telling people that it wasn’t worth being out to get tested as the clinic was set to close at 9pm.
“This is the only one open, they’re all closed. Why are they closed? Nobody here is getting tested,” he said.
“We’re going to be here for days sorting this out. They’re dumb as f------ rocks.”
There was no real concern among those lining up that they did have the virus, with mother of 7-year-old Cooper Brady, Kellie Brady saying getting tested was “peace of mind for everybody.”
One woman shouted from her car thanking people for turning up to get tested.
Dr Young’s plea comes amid growing outbreaks of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, in southern states.
Victoria recorded 12 new cases of the virus on Saturday, including 10 that were locally acquired, and NSW has confirmed seven more infections.
The locally acquired Victorian infections are linked to the Smile Buffalo Thai restaurant in Black Rock, in Melbourne’s southeast, which have been traced back to Sydney’s Northern Beaches-Croydon cluster.
Dr Young has stopped short of closing Queensland borders to Victoria or to the whole of NSW, where masks have been made mandatory in key indoor settings in Sydney and surrounding areas.
At this stage, Queensland remains open to all of Australia except Greater Sydney, which has been declared a hotspot.
“While we are not announcing hot spots in Victoria at this stage, I am very concerned how the situation is escalating,” Dr Young said.
“Victoria’s own assessment of the situation is that the risk of spread is right across the state, not just in Melbourne.
“Anyone currently in Queensland who has been in Victoria on or since 21 December should get tested immediately and quarantine at home or their accommodation until they receive a negative result.
“This is very serious and we’re taking this action now. This will ensure we know of any positive cases really early and we can manage our response accordingly.”
Dr Young said a close contact of a Victorian case had already been identified in the Mackay region and a casual contact had been found on the Gold Coast.
“I anticipate more to come,” she said.
The ongoing NSW and Victorian coronavirus outbreaks have put the travel plans of thousands of Queenslanders in limbo with families who have booked interstate holidays weighing up whether they should risk travelling.
Both Dr Young and Health Minister Yvette D’Ath have warned Queenslanders to “consider their need to travel” to NSW and Victoria, given the growing coronavirus clusters.
“Things can change really quickly with this virus – we’ve seen that in other jurisdictions, which is why I continue to advise Queenslanders to reconsider their need to travel to NSW or Victoria,” Dr Young said.
“If you do decide to go, you need to be aware of the potential consequences, such as border changes and not making it home to Queensland before hotel quarantine is imposed.
“And if you’re already in Victoria or NSW consider coming home.”
Queensland recorded one new case of the virus today in hotel quarantine, taking the state’s tally of confirmed infections since the pandemic began to 1255.
Of those, 13 remain active – seven on the Gold Coast, one on the Sunshine Coast, four in the Metro North Hospital and Health Service catchment in Brisbane’s north and one in the Metro South region.
More than three-quarters of Queensland’s cases of SARS-CoV-2 have been acquired overseas.
Another 23 people caught the virus interstate and 280 cases have been locally acquired, including 41 so-called mystery infections, where the source remains unknown.
Since Queensland recorded its first case in late January last year, the state has performed 1,485,573 tests for the virus.
Six Queenslanders have died of COVID-19, the last in April.
Andrew Bird, 31, is in country Victoria, visiting his family for the first time in over a year.
He is one of thousands of Queenslanders who will be asked to take a COVID test and quarantine at home until receiving a negative result.
The now Gold Coast local said it had been a stressful few days, waiting to see if the Queensland Government would close borders to NSW, or make Victoria a hotspot.
Despite today’s announcement, Mr Bird said he was still poised, in case things changed.
“It was such a relief to finally get down here, but now we are on edge waiting to see if there will be any last minute decisions from the Queensland government,” he said.
“I drove the 20 hours down here with my fiance and our dog, if they decide to close borders, it won’t be a quick trip home.
“We have decided to stay and to enjoy our time with family, but it’s definitely in the forefront of our minds.
“If something is announced, before we leave around January 8, we will just have to hustle.
“We are getting married in August and just really hope that our family will be able to travel to Queensland come that time.”
WHERE TO GET TESTED WITHOUT A GP REFERRAL
Bowen Hills COVID car collect site
Address: 24 Hurworth Street, Bowen Hills, 4006
Opening Hours: 11:00-14:00
Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital
Address: Butterfield Street, Herston, 4029
Opening Hours: 07:30-21:00
Queensland Children’s Hospital
Notes: Testing available for children up to 16 years.
Address: 62 Graham St, South Brisbane
Opening Hours: 08:00-16:00
PA Hospital Community Screening Clinic
Address:20 Cornwall Street, Annerley, 4103
Opening Hours: 11:00-17:00
The Prince Charles Hospital (TPCH)
Address: 627 Rode Rd, Chermside, 4032
Opening Hours: 08:30-17:00
Murarrie Pathology Central Laboratory
Address: 11 Riverview Place, Metroplex on Gateway, Murarrie, 4172
Opening Hours: 08:00-12:00
QEII Jubilee Hospital
Booking needed: call 07 3182 6500
Address: Cnr Troughton Rd & Kessels Rd, Coopers Plains, 4108
Opening Hours: 10:00-18:00
Notes: The clinic is ONLY testing people >12 years of age.
Logan Hospital
Address: Cnr Loganlea and Armstrong Rds, Meadowbrook, 4131
Opening Hours: 08:00-16:30
NEW BORDER RULES
WHO
Anyone in Queensland, or returning to Queensland, who has been in any part of Victoria since December 21.
WHAT
These people should get a COVID test immediately and quarantine until receiving a negative result.
WHERE DO I QUARANTINE
At home or in private accommodation.
WHAT IF MY TEST IS NEGATIVE
You can stop quarantining and no further action is required.
WHAT IF IT IS POSITIVE
Authorities will be in touch to advise.
WHAT IF I HAVE BEEN IN NSW
You will need a border declaration to get into Queensland from anywhere in NSW. If you have been in Greater Sydney you will be required to quarantine in a hotel at your own expense.
WHAT IF I HAVE PLANS TO TRAVEL INTERSTATE
Queenslanders are being urged not to travel to NSW or Victoria.
WHAT IF I AM INTERSTATE
Queenslanders are urged to consider returning home from NSW or Victoria.
WHAT ARE QUEENSLAND’S BORDER RESTRICTIONS
Queensland is closed to the Greater Sydney area.
WHEN WILL THIS BE REASSESSED
At this stage border arrangements will be reassessed on January 8.
GETTING HOME
Flights to Brisbane from Melbourne on January 3
Virgin Australia
● 10am- 4.30pm $323.60 – includes 4.5hr stopover at Sydney Airport
● 6.45pm-9.10pm $1094.90
Jetstar
● 12pm-6.25pm $404 (Three seats left last night) – 4.25hr stopover at Sydney Airport.
(All others sold out)
Qantas
● 7.20am-8.20am $1975
● 9.20am-10.20am $824
CHEAPER FROM LONDON
● Etihad Airways: January 3, London to Brisbane, $1917
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