QEH, WCH COVID clinics set to close

A second coronavirus facility is set to close after the sudden end of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital’s clinic was revealed today.

SA Health has abruptly shut the Queen Elizabeth Hospital COVID testing clinic, leaving western suburbs residents facing a trip to Port Adelaide or the city for a test.

It announced late today it would also wind up the Women’s and Children’s Hospital’s COVID clinic.

QEH staff showed their reaction to the sudden closure by adding three sad face emojis to a sign saying the clinic was “closed indefinitely”. The closure is permanent, despite the ongoing risk of the disease.

Despite continued public encouragement by people such as SA Health chief public health officer Professor Nicola Spurrier for people to keep getting tested if they have any symptoms such as a cough or sore throat, officials in her own department shut the clinic at the city’s main western suburbs hospital to allow building works to proceed.

SA Health posted on their website that the testing clinic will be closed permanently.

The QEH COVID clinic is closed indefinitely from 3 March 2021.

“This will allow for the TQEH redevelopment works to safely commence in the area,” it states.

Local Labor MP Joe Szakacs said the sudden and indefinite closure was a blow to the people of the western suburbs.

“It is disappointing the Queen Elizabeth Hospital COVID testing clinic has been suddenly and indefinitely closed,” he said.

“The people of the west have done the right thing and lined up for tests when required. We should try to make it as easy as possible for people to get a COVID test.

“When our community is still being advised to remain cautious, and to seek testing when even the mildest symptoms present, this snap decision to close the west’s major COVID testing clinic seems counterintuitive.

“I call on the government to reconsider this decision and re-open the QEH testing clinic.”

Meanwhile, no new cases were reported on Thursday. SA has had 618 cases of COVID-19, there are still four active cases all in medi-hotels from overseas arrivals, and there have been four deaths.

There were 1,098,890 tests carried out as of Wednesday, and 2326 doses of the vaccine have been administered.

The Women's and Children's Hospital in North Adelaide. Picture: Naomi Jellicoe

Late today an SA Health bulletin announced the Women’s and Children’s COVID clinic would also close.

Officials say it is due to falling demand and few patients.

The bulletin states the clinic closure will allow for the ground floor outpatients clinic to resume as normal “and make way for an AstraZeneca COVAX Clinic to open in the Creche.”

“This additional vaccination clinic will enable us to quickly administer the vaccine across the Phase 1a and 1b cohorts of healthcare workers, including volunteers, students, active consumer advocates and contractors,” it says.

“Our COVID-19 Screening clinic has been open since the 10 March 2020 and in the past year has screened over 20,000 children, families and health care workers.

“At the height of the pandemic this Clinic screened hundreds of people a day with demand declining in recent months.

“Thank you to all staff involved in the success of running this clinic, including Administration staff, nursing, engineering and communications.

“It really has been a brilliant example of working Together for Excellence and your work has been instrumental in keeping our community safe through this pandemic.”

Originally published as QEH, WCH COVID clinics set to close