Construction workers helping to rebuild the economy will have access to coronavirus tests
A team of GPs and nurses will be hitting the road in a coronavirus testing bus as the state ramps up its approach. Here’s how you can get the bus to visit your workplace.
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Construction workers will get access to COVID-19 tests at some sites across Victoria in a bid to keep a lid on the virus while the economy rebuilds.
A team of GPs and nurses will run a bus that provides free tests, which will be voluntary but are strongly backed by both industry and union chiefs.
The initiative is being run by redundancy funds manager Incolink and the state government — which this week announced plans to ramp up testing — has also contributed some money.
Workers would get standard nasal and mouth swabs by doctors in the bus, with results returned within 48 hours.
If the tests are positive and an employee has to self-isolate for two weeks, COVID-19 payments of $2000 for most workers and $1000 for apprentices are available.
Incolink chief executive Erik Locke said construction was a critical part of the economy as Australia recovers from the pandemic, and up to 1200 tests a month could be done with one bus operating.
With more funding, more buses could run to do up to 4000 tests a month.
“Any industry where there’s a large groups of people that attend, this makes sense,” he said.
“This initiative will help construction continue to operate and ensure we can be at the forefront of the recovery of the economy.”
Mr Locke encouraged builders to apply for the bus to visit them, and for workers to participate because it was “better to know early” if the virus strikes.
“Widespread testing will give workers and the community confidence in the safety of our industry,” he said.
Expert say a rigorous testing and tracking regimen is the best way to ease stricter restrictions across the community and keep workplaces operating.
Master Builders Australia and all leading unions are members of Incolink and have supported the initiative that begins today.
Electrical Trades Union state secretary Troy Gray said “our union is a proud supporter of this initiative and we’ll be encouraging our members to participate”.
The Australian Prostate Centre, which currently runs an Incolink bus for health checks, will run the vehicle staffed by GPs and nurses.
Currently there are 45 state-run facilities offering tests with the capacity to carry out 12,000 tests per day.
While the government has not yet released the number of people coming forward since the announcement, Mr Andrews admitted they may not get the 100,000 results hoped for as the tests were voluntary.
CoInvest chief executive John Hartley said “we all have a stake in the health and safety of construction workers”, and CBUS chief executive David Atkin said workers were persevering during the COVID-19 challenge and would be “at the frontline of the recovery”.
Australian Prostate Centre chief executive Mark Harrison said it was committed to working with Incolink in “a unified commitment to support the health and safety of workers in the construction industry”.
Applications for the bus to visit workplaces can be found at the Incolink website.
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