Milton Ulladulla Covid testing proves a challenge

As Covid cases rise in the southern Shoalhaven, there are calls for more testing resources to be set up in an effort to reduce testing lines at the already stretched hospital.

Calls for bolstered Covid testing in the Milton-Ulladulla area are growing louder as cases in the region continue to rise.

Although just one new cases was recorded in the Shoalhaven on Wednesday, the southern part of the LGA has seen a spike in cases in recent days.

Resident Isabella Rose described the Ulladulla testing facilities as “inadequate”, adding her partner waited three days for a negative result from a local testing facility after visiting South Nowra Bunnings at a time of listed as a concern by NSW Health.

There have been long lines reported at the Milton Hospital Covid testing facility as a spike in positive cases is reported in the southern Shoalhaven. Picture: Emily Barton.

Shoalhaven Mayor Amanda Findley called on the health district to release their plan for increased testing to reduce lines and result wait times.

“There is a pretty good spread of locations to get tested in the north, whereas the southern Shoalhaven has been left out,” she said.

“I would like to know what plans the health department what plans have in train for the southern Shoalhaven to decrease wait times for testing and for results when results for the northern Shoalhaven are coming through in 24 to 36 hours.”

In previous outbreak, drive through testing sites have been set up at the Milton Showground to alleviate testing pressure on Milton Hospital.

Currently, people in the southern part of the LGA can only get tested at the hospital between 8am and 3.30pm without a booking, or by appointment only at the Ulladulla Endoscopy testing facility, which is not open on weekends.

“It has been better in the past and there has been more resources redirected into the southern Shoalhaven, but I have noticed there has been lots of long queues at the hospital,” Mrs Findley said.

“They have six mobile testing sites up north and we need to give some more support to testing down in Ulladulla.”

Despite low case numbers in southern parts of the LGA, case numbers in the region are growing with at least 7 cases recorded in the Milton-Ulladulla region.

People needing a Covid test in the southern Shoalhaven can get tested at Milton Hospital between 8am and 3.30pm, but the hospital will not treat positive patients. Picture: Emily Barton.

Positive Covid patients will be denied care at Milton Hospital, instead redirected to the Shoalhaven Hospital which is up to an hour away for some local residents.

It comes as the ADF is deployed to Nowra to assist police with Covid compliance.

Mrs Findley said “extra uniforms” was not cause for concern, and residents should not be “scared” by seeing them on the streets.

Just over 72 per cent of the eligible population in the Shoalhaven have received a single dose of a Covid vaccine, while 45.2 per cent are fully vaccinated against the virus.

But, the mayor wants to see that rate increase to “90 per cent before the state reopens”.

“Our vaccine numbers are steadily growing and we really need to keep on top of that, particularly as the state moves closer to opening up,” Ms Findley said.

“Our region is vulnerable and we really need to have our area here 90 per cent fully vaccinated before the state aggregate comes to that opening point.”

“For people who don’t have the vaccine, they really are going to have to manage their own health and well being and treat everyone as if they have Covid already.”

Nelli Kiernan was concerned exposure venues weren’t listed for several days, or sometimes weeks, after positive cases had visited.

“People who have possibly been exposed could be spreading (the virus) all over town, which isn’t their fault. I understand that the system is under pressure,” she said.

The Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District has been contacted for comment.