Coronavirus: Healthdirect’s Covid hotline makes plea for digital relief

Inundated with phone calls, Australia’s national coronavirus hotline has made a desperate plea for callers to use its digital platforms.

The Healthdirect mobile application. Picture: Healthdirect

The national COVID-19 hotline is urging people to make use of its digital platforms as call rates rose almost 15 times on Sunday night.

Healthdirect, which runs the national coronavirus hotline as well as its own hotline, has seen calls rise to 12,000 per day up from 800 last week.

The spike is similar to Australia’s peak-Covid period in March, said a spokeperson.

“This year we’ve seen huge demand for information about COVID-19 right from the start,” the spokesperson said.

A Healthdirect worker takes a call. Picture: Healthdirect

About 50 per cent of callers had inquired about new border restrictions, where to get tested for the virus and about social distancing requirements over Christmas, the spokespersons said.

More than 60 per cent of callers have come from NSW, with 25 per cent were from Victoria.

Healthdirect, which hires staff on demand, has made a desperate plea for callers to make use to its digital platforms as it scrambles to find more staff.

Much of the information sought after by callers can be found online.

Healthdirect’s digital programs include COVID-19 Symptom Checker and Restrictions Checker.

Concerned people are advised to visit www.healthdirect.gov.au or make use of its digital platforms COVID-19 Restriction Checker and Symptom Checker.