Covid Qld: Families in limbo as test result waiting times blow out

As thousands voice their anger over delays in Covid-19 test results, an international student has a plane to catch. VOTE IN OUR POLL

Waiting times for Covid-19 test results have blown out beyond 72 hours, leaving desperate Queenslanders unable to join loved ones for Christmas.

Thousands have voiced their anger and devastation after Queensland Health and private pathologists took more than three days to turn around Covid-19 test results at the most crucial time of year.

Many tested on Wednesday were still awaiting results on Boxing Day, exhausted from hours on hold, calls disconnected and automatic emails.

It comes as hundreds were turned away at testing lines on Boxing Day as drive-through clinics were closed by midday and most walk-ins were either closed or shut by 2pm.

Ashgrove Baptist Church started turning people away at around 11am.

The testing clinic was meant to close at noon but there was still a “1.5-2-hour wait” at 11am.

A text message informing a person of the result of their COVID test. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Andrew Henshaw

While major testing sites including the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital and Princess Alexandra Hospital were open with hours-long queues, smaller pathologists are closed or on reduced hours over the festive season.

Hundreds flooded the social media page of 4Cyte Pathology to voice their disappointment and note their wait times.

“Just clocked 96-hour wait time – hindsight is a gift but 4cyte is not,” one man said.

“It’s been over 100+ hours for me and same with what everyone is saying, can’t contact them,” a woman said.

“You have ruined Christmas for so many families, it’s criminal,” another said.

Treasurer Cameron Dick rubbished claims stringent requirements were overwhelming NSW pathologists, saying it was because the NSW government allowed the virus to get “out of control”. “Most people getting tested in NSW are doing so because they’re worried about getting the virus, and that’s not surprising because this is a state that let the virus get out of control,” Mr Dick said.

Last week, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said only about 10 per cent of NSW’s pathology tests were for people wishing to enter Queensland.

When The Courier-Mail attempted to contact 4Cyte Pathology yesterday, an automatic reply said test results were taking longer than usual.

“Routine Covid-19 PCR tests that generally take 48 hours are currently taking longer than usual. For patient samples that may require additional testing, results are taking approximately 72 hours,” the response read.

Queensland Health has performed more than 200,000 PCR tests in the past week as thousands more Queenslanders have sought out a test from private pathologists such as 4Cyte, Sullivan Nicolaides and QML.

Health authorities maintain there is plenty of testing capacity in public and private clinics and collection sites.

“Our PCR testing requirements are in place to ensure we can manage an outbreak in Queensland as large numbers of people enter and move about the state,” a Queensland Health spokesman said.

Camille Montocchio lined up for five hours to get Covid-tested at QML Murarrie. Picture: Brad Fleet

Queensland Health has averaged 30,878 daily tests over the past week, compared with 52,351 tests performed in the 24 hours to 7am on August 5.

Queensland Health declined to provide the current average PCR test result turnaround time.

After two years away from home, international student Camille Montocchio’s long-awaited reunion with her family in Mauritius is in the hands of Queensland Health’s testing facilities.

“I’m really nervous I won’t get my test back in time for my flight tomorrow,” she said.

“If I don’t get it I can’t get on the flight.”

Her window of opportunity to get the test is slim as she needs a negative PCR result within 72 hours of landing in her country, meaning the day before her flight was the first time she could be tested.

To speed up the process, she purchased an overseas testing kit from Healius Pathology for $150 which is said to give her a test result within 24 hours.

However, those who paid for the test still have to line up in local testing facility lines alongside everyone else in Queensland looking to get a negative PCR result.

“I’ve been here (Murarrie testing facility in Brisbane’s east) since just past 8, so it’s been about a five-hour wait,” she said.

“I’m just a bit bored.”

Just before 1.30pm, Ms Montocchio received her test and is now ready to wait out her results.

QML’s testing facility at Murarrie closed at lunchtime for the public holiday.

Originally published as Covid Qld: Families in limbo as test result waiting times blow out