RBWH fever clinic moves to QUT campus sparking Omicron fear

A fever clinic at the state’s busiest hospital has been closed and moved to a university, where vaccination proof is not required.

The opening of a fever testing clinic at a major inner-city university has raised fears of an Omicron outbreak.

Anyone can attend the drive-through clinic at QUT’s Kelvin Grove campus, after it was moved from the Royal Brisbane and Woman’s Hospital this month.

The new clinic at Sports Lane, does not require proof of vaccination before entry to the QUT grounds, unlike at the Royal Brisbane.

General practitioner Dr Thomas Lyons, who treats Covid patients, said the lack of a vaccine mandate on the campus put hundreds of unvaccinated people at QUT Kelvin Grove at risk.

Dr Thomas Lyons, a Logan GP critical of opening a fever clinic at a university campus where no vaccination certificates are required.

“Even a drive-through clinic is still a concern on a campus where there is no vaccine mandate,” he said.

“Campuses are known superspreaders and moving it from RBWH to QUT, where there have been anti-vaccine meetings, is risky.

“It is concerning considering there are many anti-vaxxers at QUT and a large international student cohort.

“It means people who are sick and possibly with the virus could spread it to those on campus who have not been vaccinated — it’s dangerous.”

A recorded phone message at RBWH notified callers the clinic had moved to Sports Lane this month.

A QUT spokeswoman said QUT did not operate the Covid testing centre, which was run by Queensland Health.

“QUT continues to encourage staff and students to be vaccinated including the provision of leave and providing vaccines through QUT medical centres,” the spokeswoman said.

“QUT continues to follow the advice and direction of Queensland Health in the response to COVID-19 and will continue to monitor the ongoing situation.”

Queensland Health said the relocation to Kelvin Grove allowed RBWH staff to focus on COVID-19 and other vulnerable patients at the hospital.

“The clinic is completely separate from the main campus area with strict safety protocols in place,” the RBWH said.

A QUT chat line spokesman said all international arrivals would need to be vaccinated to get or have a medical exemption to get into the country but international students did not need to be vaccinated to enter the campus.

QUT is one of the few state universities not to require vaccination with each educational institution administering their own vaccination policies.

The move follows last month’s state decree barring unvaccinated parents from Brisbane’s children’s hospital.

The QUT drive-through clinic is open every day from 8am to 8pm.