Coronavirus clinics to be set up in Darwin and Palmerston for COVID-19 testing

PANDEMIC clinics are being set up in Darwin and Palmerston in preparation for the likely spread of coronavirus

Deputy NT Chief Health Officer, Dr Diane Stephens, said pandemic clinics were being established in Darwin and Palmerston. Picture: Che Chorley

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TWO pandemic clinics will likely be opened in Darwin tomorrow to test people for coronavirus.

NT Deputy Chief Health Officer Diane Stephens said clinics at Royal Darwin Hospital and potentially the Palmerston Superclinic would be opened to take some of the pressure off general practitioners.

“We are just making sure that we’re prepared, that we support the GPs and the great work they do, and so those clinics are being established early so that we’re ready for if it does break out within the community,” she said, speaking on ABC Radio this morning.

“It’s probably likely that we’re unlikely to escape some of this disease in Darwin.”

Prof Stephens said people who have been overseas and have become ill should contact the clinics.

She added the public was still being encouraged to contact their GPs in the first instance, and would be advised whether or not they should go to the pandemic clinics.

Health authorities are considering sites for clinics in the rural and remote area.

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“We’re looking at potential sites for pandemic clinics in Alice Springs, Tennant Creek, Nhulunbuy and Katherine,” Prof Stephens said.

“In remote communities we’re working on a plan with AMSANT and the Northern Territory Primary Health Network in order to make the communities prepared for doing this type of resting and for isolating people in the communities,” she said.

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