Nurse among crowd turned away from Hobart testing clinic

The state Health secretary has apologised for Covid test delays and thanked people for their patience after many were turned away in droves a Hobart Covid testing clinic on Thursday. SEE PLANS TO ADDRESS QUEUES >>

The state Health secretary has apologised for Covid test delays and thanked people for their patience after many were turned away in droves a Hobart Covid testing clinic on Thursday.

Kathrine Morgan-Wicks said 2,220 tests had been taken in the 24 hours before Thursday afternoon in state clinics.

“We continue to see a significant surge in testing and I apologise to anyone that has had to wait over the last couple of days and I really do thank you for your patience,” she said.

“We recognise that we do have a large number of outstanding referrals for a test in the south.

She said the state was overhauling Covid PCR tests, prioritising people with symptoms and close contacts with symptoms, and people with positive rapid antigen test (RAT) results.

Kathrine Morgan-Wicks secretary Department of Health. Picture: Linda Higginson

Ms Morgan-Wicks hoped reprioritising PCR test eligibility, rolling out RAT kits and following a nurse-led model would meet higher demand.

“We’ve ramped up this training to bring in even more workforce to help us over this holiday period surge,” she said.

Premier Peter Gutwein said there had been “significant demand” for tests in southern Tasmania.

It comes as hundreds of cars were turned away from the Hobart Showground testing site in Glenorchy on Thursday well before it was due to close.

Police asked motorists to avoid the area during the morning as traffic entering the clinic clogged nearby roads.

Nurse among crowd turned away from Hobart testing clinic

Cars are constantly being turned away at a Covid testing clinic which was supposed to operate for several more hours.

Staff at the Hobart Showground in Glenorchy have slapped the word “closed” onto signs which usually welcome drivers to their Covid-19 testing clinic.

About 11am on Thursday a worker on site said only international travellers were being allowed in for testing.

Kirilee Porter who is a nurse and needing a COVID test before she can return to work. COVID testing site at Hobart showgrounds was closed due to overwhelming demand and only made available to those who were traveling internationally. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Their website indicates they are open for tests without appointment from 8am-3pm.

Registered emergency nurse Kirilee Porter had turned up for a test after waking this morning with a sore throat, preventing her from working an already understaffed shift on Thursday.

COVID testing site at Hobart showgrounds was closed due to overwhelming demand and only made available to those who were traveling internationally. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

“I rang Public Health this morning and they said that my options were to either come here and that it was open until midday, but I looked on the website and today it said it was open until 3pm,” she said.

“It was either that or they said they could start the process for a booking down at the Wharf.”

Ms Porter drove 40 minutes to the Showground to get a test, only to hear from staff it would be a two hour wait.

Kirilee Porter who is a nurse and needing a COVID test before she can return to work. COVID testing site at Hobart showgrounds was closed due to overwhelming demand and only made available to those who were traveling internationally. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

She has been dropped off and will continue to wait outside the gates for some hours.

“I need to get back to work,” she said.

“They did initially tell us that it was closed and they weren’t going to do my test today until I told them I was a health care worker.”

COVID testing site at Hobart showgrounds was closed due to overwhelming demand and only made available to those who were traveling internationally. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Nearby, several cars every minute were being turned away upon arrival.

Ms Porter is hoping she will get her test results in time for her next shift on Sunday.

“It’s a bit frustrating,” she said.

“There’s just so many exposure sites now and it’s only going to get worse, and it’s going to become a bigger problem.

“This is the only drive-through clinic and they’re shutting it at 11 o’clock for the whole south of Tasmania.”

Security has been heard telling a driver about 300 cars were waiting for testing inside the site, with an estimated six hour wait time.

Hobart Pathology, who operates the Covid-19 clinic, has declined to comment.