Sydney arrivals tested for coronavirus at Avalon Airport
Passengers arriving in Victoria from Sydney were tested for coronavirus at Avalon Airport on Friday.
Victoria
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Passengers arriving to Avalon Airport from Sydney were tested for coronavirus at a pop-up clinic on Friday as New South Wales deals with a COVID-19 outbreak.
Arrivals from Sydney to Avalon were informed on the plane that testing for symptomatic people, and those that have been in NSW risk areas, would be available at the airport.
Around 30 out of 186 passengers embarking from the aircraft were understood to have been tested on arrival, with testing being voluntary.
Passenger Emily Nash, from Melbourne, said she decided to get tested as a precautionary measure.
“You don’t know who you come in contact with, and I really don’t want to be the first person to bring it down,” she said.
Barwon Health said the turnaround time for results was approximately 24 hours.
“We would like to remind the community of the need to get tested if they have
symptoms or if they have travelled to and from Sydney since the 11 December,” Barwon Health spokeswoman Kate Bibby said.
The cluster in NSW grew to 28 on Friday after authorities identified ten new cases linked to the outbreak.
It comes as interstate flights between Avalon Airport and Sydney recommenced for the first time in nine months.
Avalon Airport chief executive Justin Giddings said while it was not the relaunch he expected, he was “rapt” to welcome travellers back and had COVID-19 plans in place.
“It’s typical of this year, you have things planned for so long and then all of sudden it gets changed,” Mr Giddings said.
“I’m not concerned about the changes we had to make, in fact it gave me a bit of comfort.”
Mr Giddings said he expected the pop-up testing to be at the airport for a “number of weeks”.
“All flights inbound are completely full, there are a lot of people getting out of Sydney,” he said.
Anyone travelling into Victoria from NSW will now need a permit as the Victorian Government monitors the situation.
The Department of Health and Human Services “strongly” advised Victorians to not travel to Sydney as conditions are expected to deteriorate.
“You may not be able to re-enter without undertaking hotel quarantine for 14 days,” the department said.
But the warning came too late for some travellers who caught a flight from Avalon to Sydney on Friday.
Newtown couple Cliff and Wendy Ellison were the first departures to check in to Avalon.
They were heading to Sydney to reunite with their daughter after six months apart.
“We can’t wait to see her,” Mr Ellison said.
“We’ll just press on and see where it goes and hope NSW nails it. We’ll take it how it comes.”
Melbourne woman Miriam Maguire said her family was planning to stay 10 days in Sydney to catch up with her brothers for the first time in more than a year.
“My husband brought a laptop for work in case we get delayed up there if the borders close,” she said.
“We’re excited, but cautious and aware of the situation.”
Jetstar return flights are set to continue twice a day between Avalon and Sydney.
Flights to the Gold Coast are expected to restart from January 2, before flights to Adelaide begin on February 1.
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