Coastal health services boost COVID testing capabilities ahead of summer holidays

Coastal health services will bolster coronavirus testing capabilities by rostering on more staff and rolling out pop-up clinics as the region’s population balloons this summer.

COASTAL health services will bolster coronavirus testing capabilities by rostering on more staff and rolling out pop-up clinics as the region’s population balloons this summer.

Barwon Health and Great Ocean Road Health are preparing for a surge in the number of tests processed as thousands of Melburnians make their way to the region for the festive season.

Barwon Health’s COVID-19 co-ordinator Jess Povey said the region’s average of 145 tests a day was expected to increase in coming weeks as more people visit the region and attend social gatherings.

Ms Povey said medical professionals were gearing up for the expected increase in testing and had an established COVID-19 summer plan that would be activated when needed.

There are seven fixed testing sites in Greater Geelong.

“Testing across all sites is a priority and staffing levels will continue to correspond with the demand for testing,” Ms Povey said.

GORH chief executive officer Sandy Chamberlain said the health service had trained all nursing staff to conduct coronavirus swabs and was looking to expand testing.

The health service will also roll out a COVID testing promotional campaign, targeting residents and visitors in its catchment area.

Ms Chamberlain said the health service, which operates Lorne Community Hospital, had a summer safe plan that would be activated if there was an outbreak, positive sewerage samples or a high testing demand.

“It is all about demand, we currently have capacity at our Lorne Community Hospital site to provide increased testing, so will increase to our capacity and add an additional site as required,” Ms Chamberlain said.

“We have the ability to run a COVID pop-up clinic anytime, anywhere.

“If there was an outbreak and significant numbers of the community were required to be tested quickly we will enact our pop-up plan immediately.”

She said if the region experienced a “slow increase” in testing demand due to the increased population, GORH would add staff to its existing site or open a pop up site with reduced hours.

A Department of Health and Human Services spokeswoman said the department had been working with Barwon Health, GORH and Surf Coast Shire to ensure there was enough testing capacity to meet extra demand during the summer period in Greater Geelong and along the Surf Coast.

She said DHHS would also promote the locations of fixed testing sites in Torquay and Lorne through community engagement and a letter box drop.

It’s understood Barwon Health working to identify other potential testing sites across the region, if there is demand for additional sites.

Geelong police Acting Superintendent Peter Nichols said police would proactively patrol busy tourism hot spots such as beaches, parks, shopping and entertainment precincts and nearby public transport hubs to enforce the Chief Health Officer directions.

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Originally published as Coastal health services boost COVID testing capabilities ahead of summer holidays